Mr. Darcy's Secret

by Jane Odiwe

  Mrs Darcy's arguments were so tactfully debated and so charmingly delivered that as she left him, Mr Darcy could be seen by anyone who chose to pass by the study door sitting in deep and docile contemplation with pen in hand engaged in the very task Elizabeth had anticipated.

  By the afternoon, Elizabeth was full of ideas and suggestions, which she had great enjoyment talking over with her aunt and uncle, her cousins, and Georgiana. It was proposed that a walkabout be had on the upper slopes just before thick woodland made it too difficult to achieve very much and with a view to finding a suitable spot for Lizzy's plans. Georgiana was invited to accompany them all but declined, saying she had some drawing to do, an exercise she was inclined to start, which could be accomplished most comfortably at her desk in her sitting room by the warmth of a fire.

  Elizabeth set out with the Gardiners and their children, who were soon running up the slopes and watching their breaths on the cold air turn into puffs of smoke. The scene was noisy and playful, Elizabeth happy to help pull along the little ones who held out their hands eagerly for her assistance.

  "It is very kind of you to try and help Tom and Martha in this way, Lizzy. The Butlers are the most deserving people I know," said Edward Gardiner. "Her husband left her reasonably well off, but any assistance that can be made for young Thomas to help him make his way can only be of benefit to both of them."

  "It is my pleasure, Uncle. I am determined to help anyone deserving if I can. Between you and me, I also think it will be good for Miss Darcy to have the company of a young friend with similar interests. Did you notice, Aunt, how well she and Mr Butler got on? I have never heard her speak so well to another soul."

  "I did notice. Forgive me for saying so, but do you think it altogether wise to be encouraging this sort of friendship? Mr Butler is a very pleasant, if rather forward, young man, but to speak plainly, Elizabeth, he does not belong to Miss Darcy's class. He has no money and has yet to make his fortune, and besides, I am sure Mr Darcy must have plans for Georgiana's future that do not involve penniless gentlemen."

  "Aunt Gardiner, I am very surprised at you. He may not have money, but she has; in fact, Georgiana has enough money to take on any prospective husband that she wishes. Besides, they have only just met and I am not suggesting that she marry him, merely that she spend some pleasurable time in his company."

  "She seems to me to be a girl that might be easily persuaded," Aunt Gardiner commented, "and though I am reasonably certain of Mr Butler's character, I would not like to see such a vulnerable girl easily influenced. And I must say, Elizabeth, I did not like the familiar way he sat next to Miss Darcy on so slight an acquaintance. His manner was perhaps a little too forthright."

  "Oh, Aunt Gardiner, he is just young and suffering from over enthusiasm, I am sure. I thought Tom Butler quite delightful. I cannot put my finger on it, but I kept thinking I knew him, almost as if we had been previously introduced, though I know that cannot be. His manner of talking, so utterly charming and artless, somehow..."

  Elizabeth hesitated as the realisation of the person to whom she had been comparing him came to her mind. Mrs Gardiner arrived at the same conclusion at the precise moment. "Oh, no, Aunt, I do not believe it. His manners may be similar and he has that same goodness of expression, but I refuse to believe that in essentials he is the same."

  "Of whom are you talking?" butted in Mr Gardiner, who had paused to catch his breath as they gained the top of the hill. "I have to confess I am quite baffled by this turn in the conversation."

  "It's probably just as well, for Mr Butler is not advantaged by this comparison," Elizabeth replied. "Poor Tom has the unhappy fate to resemble someone we once thought was of good character, a man we were completely deceived in as to the worthiness of his nature, though I live in hope that he is improved sufficiently for my sister's sake."

  "Oh dear, you mean Mr Wickham, I suppose," uttered Mr Gardiner rather breathlessly. "No, I cannot believe it. Tom's father was an excellent man and I'm sure his son is the same."

  "I'm sure you are right, Uncle," said Lizzy, taking his arm, "it is just that I have become prejudiced against good-looking young men, which surely cannot be fair in Mr Butler's case."

  "And we do know of one very handsome gentleman who is not only of excellent character but who also married a splendid girl, do we not?" Mr Gardiner went on.

  "And despite what she says, she hasn't a prejudice she ought not to possess," agreed Mrs Gardiner, looking directly at Lizzy.

  Elizabeth turned to regard her uncle and aunt who were smiling at her. She laughed and shook her head before gesturing toward a clump of trees in the distance. "Now, what do you think of that vista over there? Is it a handsome enough spot for Mrs Darcy's Dell?"

  ∗ ∗ ∗

  On their return from what Elizabeth decided was a very successful mission, she went in search of Georgiana to tell her about the place she'd found for Mr Butler to create a new design. Lizzy wanted Georgiana's opinion and approval, hoping to persuade her to take a look on the morrow. She found her as expected, still at the desk before the window surrounded by drawing paper and pastels.

  "We'll take a walk up there on the morrow just the two of us, what do you say, Georgiana? We haven't had a chance for a tete-a-tete for so long and I do so want your approval of the idea. Let it be our secret; I do not want to tell Fitzwilliam about the place I've discovered just yet, if at all. Do you not think that it will be a wonderful surprise?"

  "Oh, Lizzy, that is exciting and I am sure I will love the spot you have found. Tomorrow I shall wrap up and we will go walking."

  Elizabeth sat down to observe the drawing that had occupied Georgiana all morning. Several discarded, crumpled sheets of paper were lying on the carpet. Her eyes alighted upon the object that Georgiana was studying. "What an unusual shell," she remarked. "May I look?"

  She glanced at Georgiana who instantly blushed a deeper pink than the pretty shell itself. Elizabeth immediately guessed from whence it had come and smiled. "Did Mr Butler present you with the shell? That was very kind of him to notice how much you admired them. He must have thought that you might like to draw one."

  Georgiana bit her lip and nodded, not once taking her eyes from her sketch or the paper on which she worked so fine a drawing that Elizabeth thought she had never seen such delicate workmanship.

  "You'll have to show him when he comes. I am sure he will be interested to see your work," said Lizzy, patting Georgiana's back in a reassuring fashion.

  Georgiana immediately looked up, her expression a mixture of astonishment and fright. "Is he to come here?"

  "Why, yes, I thought that we had already mentioned that possibility when we were visiting the Butlers."

  Elizabeth looked directly into the eyes of her sister. "Poor girl," she thought, "the prospect of seeing him again appears to give her some distress."

  "Would you not like to see Mr Butler again?" she continued. "I thought you two seemed to enjoy one another's company. Indeed, I have rarely seen you so at ease with someone you know so little."

  "It is not that I did not like Mr Butler..."

  "But? What is it, Georgiana? Are you afraid of seeing him again?"

  "Oh, Lizzy, I do not know... that is, I do not feel at ease with any young man; there is the truth of it and, I confess, there was a boldness about Mr Butler which puts me on my guard."

  "It is as well to be careful where gentlemen are concerned, but my advice would be to give him a chance. It will be good for you to have the company of a young fellow who is closer to you in age than your brother and myself. You have so much in common and I am sure you will have lots to converse about and share. I expect he will want to see the drawing you have made when he comes. Indeed, I rather suspect that his motive for giving the shell to you was a belief that he may in future have a reason to legitimately strike up a conversation with you on the subject."

  Georgiana blushed deeper than ever as Lizzy kissed the top of her head before departing, saying, "Don't
forget our walk tomorrow, Georgiana. I shall want to know what else Mr Butler had to say to you."

  In the quiet of her room, Miss Darcy picked up the shell and turned it over in her hands. Despite her misgivings, she had to admit she was almost looking forward to seeing Mr Butler again.

  ∗ ∗ ∗

  On the day that Martha and Thomas Butler returned the visit to Pemberley, they were at last very pleased to meet the man they had often observed in Lambton but never met before. Mrs Butler was almost overcome by the sense of occasion, but Tom, who instantly realised the opportunity that Mr Darcy was conferring on him, rose to the challenge of presenting his work with confidence and aplomb.

  Mr Darcy was clearly impressed with Tom's green book, and after they had talked about the possibility of working on some designs for the estate, they were all able to relax a little. "You must come as often as you choose, Mr Butler. I am sure there will always be someone willing to show you round the grounds. I know Mrs Darcy has already fixed upon some places which she thinks might be of interest to you."

  "I have taken the liberty of finding a site, but I must confess I have no idea as to its suitability for such a scheme," said Elizabeth. "I hope you will advise me, Mr Butler."

  "I will do the best I can, Mrs Darcy," Tom promptly answered. "May I say how very grateful I am to you for giving me this chance to prove myself. If I may come tomorrow with all my equipment, I can start work immediately."

  "That is splendid," said Mr Darcy, shaking hands heartily with Mr Butler. "We shall look forward to seeing you on the morrow."

  The Butlers' visit was brief. Georgiana, who had been present during the short half hour they were there, could not help but feel a little disappointed. Mr Butler had barely glanced in her direction, nor made any communication with her apart from what could only be described as a hint of a smile on admittance to the saloon. But she guessed that might, in part, be due to the presence of her brother, who had an alarming effect on most people when they first met him. Mr Darcy's stature, his mien and bearing were such that she had seen other men almost diminish into nonexistence when meeting him face to face. On the other hand, she had not witnessed any such timidity on Tom's part. Far from it, he had been composed, very civil, and self-assured. More likely, he was not really interested in her at all, she thought. When she had seen him at the Butlers' he had been merely polite, and what she had mistaken for a curious attention in her favour had been simply courteous behaviour after all. Perhaps she should have entered into the conversation a little more, she wondered, but no sooner had the thought popped into her head than she knew she had not been equal to opening her mouth at all, let alone joining in any discussion. Georgiana had felt at her shyest, compounded by the fact that Mr Butler had seemed not even to notice she was in the room. Well, Lizzy was wrong after all, she decided. Mr Butler must have enough friends of his own without wishing to add her to the list.

  Chapter 7

  Georgiana knew that Tom Butler had arrived, for she had been watching for him after breakfast from the safety of her sitting room, which afforded a splendid view of the drive and the little bridge crossing the stream, over which all visitors must come. She was thinking about how she might start another drawing on a completely new subject and considering how unnecessary it was to go and introduce herself to Mr Butler again. After all, he was here to do some work for her brother and he would be completely taken up with that. Georgiana positioned two vases of varying heights with a Chinese bowl into a suitable arrangement and was just sharpening her pencil with the knife she used specially for the purpose when there came a rapid knock upon her door.

  It was Lizzy looking most harried. "Oh, Georgiana, I am in a panic. Will you help me? I had completely forgotten that I promised Mrs Gardiner that I would take her to see the market and shops in Matlock whilst she is here. It is market day today and there will not be an opportunity to go again before the Christmas festivities begin. She was so looking forward to going with the idea of looking for small gifts for the children."

  "Oh, Lizzy, I know what you are about to say. Please do not ask me!"

  "Please, Georgiana, you have only to take Mr Butler to the upper slopes where we walked and then you may leave him. I beg you; no one else will do. I feel it looks bad enough that I am not going to be here to do the honours, but at least with you, the other mistress of the house, I shall not feel quite as if I have neglected my duties so much. Please say you will help me."

  Mrs Darcy's expression was such that it was quite beyond Georgiana's power to refuse her; indeed, she felt she could never refuse anything Elizabeth asked of her. Lizzy was so kind, always behaving like the sister she had never had. How could she decline such an appeal to be of assistance?

  "Very well, Lizzy, I do it because I love you, my dearest sister, but I have to tell you that every inclination in my body is against it."

  "Thank you, my dearest girl," said Lizzy, not stopping to assuage Georgiana's feelings further with any more platitudes. "Come, make haste, there is not a moment to lose. I've left the poor man in the library looking at a stack of your sketches. I told him I would be back in seconds."

  "Oh, Lizzy, how could you show him my poor sketches?" cried Georgiana.

  "Listen, not only are they remarkable drawings, but also you will have something to talk about, so you need not feel so shy," added Lizzy, taking her sister's hand and almost pulling her out of the room.

  Mrs Darcy left Georgiana at the library door, running away before the latter had a chance to change her mind. With her heart hammering, Georgiana observed Mr Butler through the open door. He was sitting at a table by the window and so engrossed with the drawings before him that he was unconscious of her presence. Dressed very smartly in a dark blue coat, and with his hair falling in fair tendrils against his collar, he made a pleasing picture. His long fingers seemed almost to caress the paper, so gently did he turn the pages. Georgiana watched his hands and noted not only his movements, but also his quiet strength. "He does have an expression of kindness," she thought, "but I am so afraid to go in. It is such a curious feeling, so alarming that I do not know what to feel; though if I must describe it to myself, it is somewhere between fright and excitement. If only I could run back to my room at this moment, I would!"

  At last she found the courage to step forward, remembering that she did not want to let Elizabeth down. "Good morning, Mr Butler," she said, trying to meet his eyes which stared into her own with a clarity she found unsettling. "I am so sorry that Mrs Darcy has a previous engagement, but I hope you will allow me to show you around."

  Mr Butler rose from his seat, at once reminding Georgiana of his stature. Her own height often made her feel too significant. She quite liked the fact that he made her feel almost dainty by comparison. "That is very considerate of you, Miss Darcy," he said, as he bowed in her direction. "I am most sorry to put you out, for I am sure I must be disturbing you. I could come back tomorrow if you have other plans."

  For a second, Georgiana was tempted to say that sounded an excellent idea, but realised in time how rude that would appear and was able to reply with an assurance she did not feel that it was her pleasure to escort him.

  "I have been looking over your work, Miss Darcy," he announced before she had time to think of what she should say next. "I have rarely seen such draughtsmanship. You have a great talent."

  "You flatter me too well, sir," Georgiana replied with difficulty. She was most overcome that he had praised her work so highly, but immediately thought that he must be teasing her. There was certainly something in his expression, a hint of mischief about the twinkle in his eye. Perhaps he was laughing at her?

  "No, Miss Darcy, I see what you are thinking. I am most sincere. You draw exceedingly well. I was a drawing master for some time and I assure you, I have never seen such aptitude for the subject amongst any of my former pupils."

  "I expect that was because your pupils had no natural inclination for the subject. I do not mean to say that you would no
t have been an excellent teacher or that you could not have inspired them with enthusiasm," she added, watching his expression change, "but I have often observed that when masters of any subject have been engaged by well meaning parents, unless the pupil has an earnest desire to learn or a real interest in the subject, it is not only a wasteful but also expensive exercise."

  Tom laughed. "Miss Darcy, you are quite correct, but I assure you, in this case, I see great aptitude and application. Your style reminds me very much of the French artist, Madame Vigee Le Brun. About ten years ago I was lucky enough to see her paintings in Rome whilst on a tour with my uncle."

  "Oh, how wonderful, and how lucky you were to see her work, which I have long admired, though I admit only to having seen her paintings in a pamphlet."

  "Without a doubt, Rome was wonderful, but I understand you have spent a great deal of time in London, where you must have attended many fine exhibitions."

  "Oh, yes, Mr Butler, I have been to Somerset House and studied the masterpieces of the day. There is nothing like seeing great painting for one's own inspiration."

  "Yes, that is very true, and talking of inspiration, I'd best be getting on with my work," Tom said, promptly shutting up the folder of work, as if suddenly conscious that he was talking too much. "Mrs Darcy told me you knew of the area in the grounds that she would like me to redesign."

  "Yes, of course," answered Georgiana, relieved that employment and action would now take the place of conversation. "We will go directly I have found my cloak and bonnet."

  As soon as they were ready, the couple made their way out to the rear of Pemberley House taking a shortcut through the formal gardens and making their way towards the upper slopes of the wild garden. They strolled across the open landscape, following an ancient stone wall which ran along the slope like a pointing finger, silvered with lichen and frost-covered mosses. The larch wood at the top of the hill was their destination, and as the incline increased so did the effort to keep moving. The higher they climbed, the shorter was their breath, which came out in bursts, and Georgiana felt her heart race with the effort of keeping up with Mr Butler. It was wonderful to be outside in the crisp air, and although she had imagined that it might be easier to converse outdoors in such a beautiful setting, nevertheless Georgiana and Tom did not exchange one word. Tom had become most business-like in his manner and carried his bag containing his books and pencils with some importance. Georgiana glanced sideways at him once or twice, but his expression was so solemn and he looked so thoughtful that she thought better of disturbing his reverie. She kept her eyes to the ground, challenging herself to differentiate between the footprints of rabbits and foxes, pheasants and partridges imprinted on the frosted grass.