Returning to his room, Darcy realised that despite the aggravation it had caused, the strange conversation he had just had, had not been in vain.
He too had begun to see things more clearly as a result of considering his cousin's predicament.
His own feelings for Kathryn O'Hare were now at the very centre of his concerns, following upon Edward's presumptuous letter and David's naïve and often incoherent musings; it was no longer possible for him to deny it.
Picking up his brother's letter, he read it through again; it irked him and he felt impelled to write a sharp reply, but postponed acting upon the impulse, lest he be tempted into immoderate language which may betray his true feelings. The longer his brother and sister-in-law were kept in ignorance of his intentions the better, he decided.
Shortly afterwards, he was dressed and ready to leave for Whitehall, when a letter was brought in—it had been delivered by express.
Seeing the handwriting, Darcy opened it hurriedly.
It was from Jessica. She wrote:
Dear Darcy,
I have just heard from Cousin Lizzie that you are expected home on Christmas Eve and wondered if I may trouble you to do me a very personal favour.
I have little opportunity here to look for something particular, that I wish to get Julian for Christmas, and wondered if you would select for me a little token of my affection, which I may be able to give him as a gift on Christmas Day.
We have as yet no news if he is to be home for Christmas; I hope with all my heart he is, but if he is not, I shall send it to him in the post, with my love.
I know I can trust you to get something tasteful—Julian abhors anything flashy, as you know—perhaps a plain pin or a watch chain. I shall leave it to you, confident of your excellent taste.
Thank you and God bless you,
Jessica Courtney
Enclosed was some money, which had tumbled out of the folded note.
Darcy stood quite still, her letter in his hand, moved by the simple honesty of her words. They had come as he was contemplating his own situation and served to confirm his feelings. By afternoon, Darcy had decided that he could no longer avoid making a decision about his future. Impelled first by David's rambling revelations and then Jessica's lucid expression of love for Julian, to consider his own situation, Darcy had concluded that he must talk to Kathryn, tell her of his feelings for her, and discover if she cared for him. If she did, he would ask her to marry him.
When he left Whitehall that evening, having bade good-bye to his colleagues and friends, he felt quite elated. Visiting a shop he knew well, he selected for Jessica a plain gold watch chain, of a design he knew would suit Julian Darcy, whose distaste for ostentation was well known. He purchased also a simple diamond ring, which he had packed and put away privately among his things.
Returning to his apartment, he collected his things, packed a portmanteau, and called a hansom cab. At the station, he bought a ticket to Derby and boarded a north-bound train. It was still a few days to Christmas, but London with its crowded, cold streets held little attraction for him.
Once the excitement of the election victory had passed, he had found his political work rather more tedious and far less rewarding than he had expected. He saw less of Colin Elliott and others of his friends, who were now in the ministry and busy with the minutiae of legislation to disestablish the Irish Church.
There was much less now of the fine talk of personal liberty, the doctrine of John Stuart Mill and plans for the reform of the civil service and the introduction of a system of public education for all children. They seemed to have receded into the background, while matters of the Irish Church occupied the government.
Disappointed, if not entirely disillusioned, Darcy Gardiner was tired of London. Home, he decided, was where he wanted to be, and the person he most wished to see was Kathryn O'Hare.
CHRISTMAS SEEMED TO ARRIVE in a great rush that year; there being so much to do, everyone had been very busy. The children's choir had been practising at the church, and Jessica believed that they had, with Kathryn's help, achieved a very good standard indeed. Their appearance at Pemberley on Christmas Eve was keenly anticipated.
“The rector is very pleased and I am confident the children are going to be in excellent voice on Christmas Eve,” she said as they walked back to Pemberley House one afternoon.
Kathryn agreed, “It's due mostly to your own hard work, Jessica. I did not believe it was possible to train them to sing so well in the time we had.”
The two young women had become firm friends as they had worked together at the school, and there was between them a good companionship, as well as a warmth of affection, they both appreciated. Jessica benefited from Kathryn's erudition and her understanding of the arts and sciences, while Kathryn admired the enthusiasm and energy her young friend brought to all her activities. She had admitted to herself that her enjoyment of their work at the school had far exceeded her expectations of the position.
That afternoon, Jessica had persuaded Kathryn to stay over at Pemberley and help her decorate the saloon for the party on Christmas Eve—a tradition carried on over many years for the children of the staff and tenants of the Pemberley Estate. They were carrying baskets of holly and greenery collected in the woods, to make into garlands. The weather, which had been quite forbidding all week, had improved somewhat, and though there were still some clouds hovering above the peaks, it did look as though Christmas Eve would be fine.
“Are you expecting visitors at Pemberley?” asked Kathryn, as the entrance to the house came into view, “because it does seem that one of them has already arrived.”
In the drive stood a hired vehicle, from which a gentleman in travelling clothes had alighted and was paying off the driver, while two servants collected his bags and carried them indoors.
As the vehicle drove away, he turned and saw them.
He had time only to say her name, before Jessica, recognising Julian, dropped her basket and without a word, ran straight towards him and right into his arms, which closed around her.
Astonished by this turn of events, Kathryn gathered up the fallen garlands and waited, reluctant despite the cold to approach the entrance to the house, where the couple stood in an embrace that could only have meant one thing.
Everyone—Kathryn, the footmen, the gardeners, and Mrs Grantham, the housekeeper, who stood transfixed at the top of the steps—must now know that Julian and Jessica were either already engaged or were very soon going to be.
Looking down from her favourite window, Mrs Darcy saw them too and smiled. Clearly she had not been mistaken in thinking that the regular correspondence she had noticed between her son and Jessica was a sign of something more than a mutual interest in his research into tropical diseases! How much she had guessed, she would not immediately reveal, but she was certainly not displeased with what she saw.
When the pair reluctantly broke apart and moved to enter the house, Jessica turned to her friend and, taking Kathryn's hand, drew her forward to meet Julian Darcy and share their joy. There was no doubt in Kathryn's mind then, that the couple was deeply in love, though how Jessica had concealed it from her and, it seemed, from everyone else, she would never know. Eager now to take everyone into their confidence, Julian and Jessica made no further effort to hide their feelings and went upstairs directly to tell Mr and Mrs Darcy their news.
With this duty done, the family gathered downstairs, and the rest of the evening was spent in telling them how it had all come about and laughing together over the fact that they had so successfully concealed their intentions until Julian returned from Africa.
“I think we both knew our feelings were engaged, even before I left for France, but decided quite separately that it would be best to wait until my return from Africa to let the family into our secret,” said Julian, and Jessica, her heart too full to let her speak, smiled and agreed.
Kathryn, noting Mrs Darcy's smile, realised that they had probably not been entirely
successful after all, but it did not signify, since Elizabeth was so obviously delighted with the outcome. Indeed, Mrs Grantham confided to Kathryn that she had not seen her mistress look so happy in a long while.
“Mrs Darcy took it very badly when Mr Julian's wife left him and their son; I don't believe she has ever forgiven her. Miss Jessica has been like a second daughter to her and Mr Darcy; it feels right that if Mr Julian were to marry again, then she should be the one to make him happy,” she said.
Seeing them together, Kathryn had no doubt of it either.
The following day, a carriage was summoned to convey Kathryn home to Colley Dale and take Julian and Jessica to Kympton Rectory, where they would ask Reverend and Mrs Courtney for their blessing. This was given with much pleasure, and by dinnertime that day, the pair were formally engaged.
Thereafter, they went together to Camden House, where the delicate task of breaking the news to young Anthony Darcy had to be undertaken.
Once the engagement had been revealed to her and Richard, it fell to Cassy to tell the child, who had been in her care, since Julian had brought him to her three years ago, that his life was about to change again.
He was upstairs playing with his cousin James, when Cassy went to tell him that his father had arrived with presents for Christmas and some important news. A cheerful and unspoilt little boy, Anthony Darcy had long forgotten and possibly forgiven the neglect and pain of his early childhood, when his unhappy, confused mother and shattered father had seemed to abandon him.
The years following had been spent not in lonely isolation but in the warm and wholesome atmosphere of the home of his aunt Cassandra and her husband, Dr Richard Gardiner. In his cousin James, the boy had found a playmate, and the general acceptance of him into the family by all its members and the entire staff had given him the security and affection he had craved.
It wasn't too difficult therefore for Julian and Jessica to explain that they were to marry and suggest that he would from now on have his own family as well as the home he had shared with his cousins at Camden Park.
The boy's response was understandable, if a little disconcerting.
“Will I have to leave Camden House and Jamie and Aunt Cassy?” he asked, quietly adding, “and what about the Little Major?”
The Little Major, Cassy explained quickly, was his pony, a birthday gift from his grandfather Mr Darcy.
Jessica was swift to reassure him, “No indeed, Anthony, you will not have to leave here—your papa and I will be going back to Africa to continue his work for a year. When we return, we shall look for a place to live, and you can come and visit and decide if you wish to live there or remain at Camden Park,” she said.
“Will there be room there for the Little Major?” he asked and then, as if afraid of the answer, added quickly, “I think, if I may, I should like to stay here with Jamie and Aunt Cassy, but I would like to visit from time to time, if you wanted me to.”
Tears stung Jessica's eyes, as she saw the uncertainty on his face. The words were spoken artlessly by a child, who had lost everything that made a home and then, found comfort and love with the Gardiners.
It was the only true home he had known and he was reluctant to leave it.
Cassandra and Richard had loved and cared for him as if he were their own son, and Anthony had responded to their kindness and love.
Putting her arms around him, Jessica said quietly, “Of course your papa and I would want you to come to us, whenever you wished to. Once your papa's work in Africa is done and he returns to England, we could meet and do lots of things together. It might be fun. Would you enjoy that?”
“Could we go fishing? Jamie and I go fishing,” he said, and Jessica turned to Julian; she knew he had probably never gone fishing in his life. It was a difficult moment, but Julian rose to the occasion superbly, saying without any hesitation, “Of course we could, and you and Jamie could show me how to bait a hook and throw a line?”
The boy nodded, his eyes gleaming, clearly pleased at the prospect.
“That's settled then,” said Julian. “I shall look forward to my first fishing lesson. And when we've done that, perhaps we could ride in the park or walk in the woods or…”
“Or swim in the lake?” suggested Anthony, making quite certain his father knew his range of activities.
They laughed together at the thought of Julian swimming in the lake at Camden Park or Pemberley! At least the child was accepting of their plans, and it would not be difficult to restore the bonds and, perhaps, one day make a family again.
Cassy, seeing them together, smiled. She had long suspected that Jessica Courtney was in love with Julian, but apart from an occasional mention of their young cousin in his letters, she'd had no indication of her brother's intentions. Now it was clear, and she wondered what would happen to Anthony. Would they wish to remove him from Camden Park?
Before she had time to speculate, Julian reassured her, “Cassy, Anthony and I have just been planning how we shall spend some of our time together when Jessica and I return from Africa. We intend to have some fun together—but if you are agreeable, I would wish that you continue your care of him. Neither Jessica nor I would wish to disrupt the remarkably happy life he has with your family and the excellent tutoring he shares with your Jamie. Would you and Richard agree?”
Cassy was so relieved, the tears she had held back fell uncontrolled as she embraced her brother. The child had come to mean a lot to her—it would have been hard indeed to give him up. Yet she was conscious that Julian had his rights as the boy's father.
“Will you not wish to take him to live with you, when you return to England?” she asked, half hoping he would say no.
“Not permanently, and certainly not against his will. Anthony's home has been with you, and when he grows up, it will be at Pemberley, where he must learn his duties as master of the estate. It was a responsibility and a source of joy which I surrendered, when I relinquished my inheritance and gave him into your care.
“No, my dear Cassy, it is to you he turns for guidance and you who will best prepare him, with Papa and young Darcy of course, for his future role. Certainly, he must come to us when Jessica and I are married and he will be most welcome in our home, but only when he wishes to come.”
Jessica and Cassy embraced, both women understanding the effort it must have taken for Julian to say those words, yet admiring his courage in saying them. Neither had any doubt that he was absolutely right.
When they returned to Pemberley in time for dinner, Mrs Grantham, who had in her time at Pemberley seen many engagements and weddings, remarked that she had never before seen a matter settled so swiftly and with such good prospects of success. It was a sentiment with which it was difficult to disagree.
On Christmas Eve, Darcy Gardiner arrived at Pemberley to find the pair engaged and, with concealment no longer necessary, keen to share their happiness and claim from him the felicitations he was pleased to offer.
Despite his prior knowledge of their feelings, Darcy was surprised at the speed with which their engagement had come about. He was however, delighted for them, knowing how deeply Julian had been wounded by the disintegration of his first marriage and the tragic death of his wife, Josie.
As for Jessica, he knew for how long she had loved Julian and her present felicity was so profound, it seemed to enhance everything that was pleasing and lovely about her. She went about the house making her preparations for Christmas, carrying out a myriad of ordinary tasks with a look of such rapture on her face, that it was impossible to believe other than she was utterly and overwhelmingly happy.
Finding her alone, decorating the Christmas tree, Darcy went to her and took the opportunity to give her the package he had brought and express the hope that it would suit.
“Oh, I am sure it will, Darcy, I have every confidence in your good taste,” she had said, thanking him for the favour.
He had congratulated them both that morning, but returning to the subject, said, “
Jessica, I need not tell you how very happy I am for both of you…” and she turned to regard him with a transfiguring smile that made him stop in mid sentence.
“Why thank you, Darcy, you are very kind. Yes, I do believe we will be happy. I know Julian says he has been thinking of nothing else these last few days, as he made his journey home to England, but I have dreamed of this moment for years,” she said, still smiling.
“I know, and you told me you would go with him to the ends of the earth. Will you?” he asked.
“Of course,” she replied. “We are to be married after Christmas, and in the Spring, we leave for France and South Africa, so Julian can complete his work. It is far too important to leave unfinished or delay for long.”
Darcy could see how real her devotion was. He knew that to Jessica, it would mean nothing to leave the comforts of Pemberley and accompany her husband to Africa, if that was where he had to go. She had once told him she would rather remain single than marry anyone else. Seeing her now, Darcy had no reason whatsoever to disbelieve her.
That brought him to a delicate subject.
“Jessica, there is a question I have to ask you… Please do not be offended… I do not mean to pry but I must know, did you ever tell Julian about me… that I had once hoped…?”
She placed a finger over his lips to silence him and said, “No. You have no need to ask, Darcy. I have not and will not, not even to Julian. Did I not give you my word at the time?”
Darcy was relieved.
“Then Kathryn does not know either?”
“Of course not. Would I do such a thing? No, you are quite safe there.”
She smiled and added, “Will you let me give you a word of advice? If you wish to court her, do so now; she likes you, very much, I know that.”
“Does she?” he was surprised, “has she said so?”
“Not in so many words, but I could draw such a conclusion from speaking with her. She is, however, modest and will not assume your interest, but I am confident that if you approach her correctly, you will not find her indifferent.”
Postscript from Pemberley Page 20
