Pemberley Tales

by Aurora Fairfax

  She would need more information before she talked to him and presented her argument.

  First things first then. In her estimation, the best source for any information about the fashions in London was her aunt, Mrs. Margaret Gardiner. She would pen her a letter and inquiry not only about this Waltz but also ask for advice in how to handle this request for lessons. Jane as well. Even if Jane herself knew nothing, she might be able to get Mr. Bingley's input or even ferret more information out of Caroline Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, her two sisters-in-law.

  Anything that even hinted at a scandal involving Georgiana or Kitty needed to be avoided. In this, Elizabeth agreed fully with Mr. Darcy. They both had had their experiences with Mr. Wickham and scare he'd brought into their lives. And while Georgiana had escaped unscathed, Lydia had only been saved by Mr. Darcy's involvement and his generous help. Kitty was already out, but Georgiana wasn't and she was a rich heiress, so they needed to thread carefully.

  Elizabeth gathered Jane's letter and decided to head to her office. It would be easy to ask one of the servants to bring her small portable writing desk, the one that had been a present from Darcy and contained all her papers and inks, but she still felt slightly uncomfortable by the constant presence of numerous servants. While they'd had servants at Longbourn, they didn't have that many and Elizabeth was just so used to doing things on her own. A habit that irritated Norton, Pemberley's Butler and Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper, to no end. She was still learning how to be Mrs. Darcy, Mistress of Pemberley. Compared to her childhood home of Longbourn, it was a rather daunting task. Luckily, she had much help and support in the form of Norton, Mrs. Reynolds, Darcy, and even Georgiana. Something she was utterly grateful for as her mother's preparation to run a household as big and vast as Pemberley had been sorely lacking.

  With a smile, Elizabeth walked into her office and settled behind her desk to out her letter paper. Her fingers trailed softly over the smooth, almost white paper and her smile turned soft. She'd been thoroughly surprised when Darcy had presented her with not just the paper but also a set of high-quality pens and a bottle of green inks. Such a luxurious treat! She sometimes delighted in sending him little notes just to show him her appreciation and love. Maybe he would like another one today? It was quick work to put pen to paper and dash out a few lines. Folding it carefully, she pondered the letters she needed to write. Aunt Gardiner first, then Jane. And a brief note to Mr. Pool, the dance instructor who came by regularly to practice dancing with Georgiana and Catherine. Just to let him know that she desired to speak to him concerning a new dance she'd heard about.

  That decided Elizabeth focused on her tasks.

  CHAPTER 2

  Sometimes, Fitzwilliam Darcy felt outnumbered in his own house. Maybe he should invite Bingley and his wife for a visit. They would still be outnumbered but at least he would have another male around to commiserate with and Elizabeth would surely enjoy having her sister and close confidant nearby.

  He looked at his wife who sipped on her tea and smiled when she caught his eyes. He allowed his gaze to move on, but not without first appreciating his Elizabeth's fine eyes and how they sparkled with barely suppressed mirth. The corners of his own mouth twitched with the desire to join her in laughter, even though he had no idea what exactly amused her this much. The joy she'd brought into his life since accepting his proposal was something he cherished with all his heart.

  While his lady was in a fine mood this morning, the other two ladies present were rather subdued. They also, rather clearly, were trying very hard not to draw his attention. He studied them thoughtfully and wondered what mischief they might be involved in now. Georgiana glanced from Elizabeth to him and then back down to her plate. The faintest hint of red colored her cheeks and raised Darcy's suspicion. Catherine's eyes were firmly fixed on her plate while she pretended to eat her eggs. Both were surprisingly silent when normally their chatter filled the room.

  This odd behavior had been going on for a few days now and it was beginning to vex him. He hated not being informed about the going-ons in his own house. He respected that there were things the ladies preferred to talk about without a man present but based on the futile looks both Georgiana and Catherine were sending his way, he knew that whatever was going on, involved him as well.

  Maybe it was cruel, but one could also call it a strategic move when he decided to address the lady most likeliest to cave.

  "Georgiana? Is something the matter?" he inquired gently, smiling at her.

  She looked up, her blue eyes wide and startled, almost panicked. For a moment his heart clenched in fear, worried that something had happened but one glance showed him that Elizabeth was sedately buttering her toast. She would have told him if something concerning was going on. He was certain of it. They had no secrets from each other after all and she'd come to him before when something had troubled her. They were still finding their way together but they were on the right path. He couldn't have chosen better. Of that, he was certain.

  The gentle smile Elizabeth directed at him and the minute shake of her head, eased his worries. Whatever it was, it wasn't too concerning and Elizabeth was already involved. He raised a questioning eyebrow in her direction. She briefly shook her head again, letting him know that she would talk to him later, something that vexed him slightly but which he accepted with a graceful inclination of his head.

  "Nothing?" Georgiana finally stammered out and he immediately regretted that he'd made her this nervous. He appreciated how she'd flowered and grown more confident in the few short months she'd been under Elizabeth's tutelage and had his spirited and opinionated wife as an example.

  "Very well," he conceded, determined to get to the bottom of this. Hopefully, Elizabeth would be accommodating. She could be surprisingly stubborn when she felt like it.

  Finally, breakfast was over and Georgiana and Catherine asked to be excused, claiming lessons and correspondence demanding their attention.

  Darcy schooled his expression into a bland smile and nodded. He purposefully did not comment on the way both young ladies hastened out of the dining-room, although it reminded him of fleeing geese. Just a bit more silent, but with the same lack of decorum.

  Elizabeth was not so restrained and openly laughed. "The poor girls. I think you scared them."

  Darcy scowled at the departing girls and then at his laughing wife. She nodded in the direction of the garden.

  "Maybe a little walk before we tend to our duties?"

  Accepting the peace offering as well as the chance for a talk away from prying ears, he offered her his arm, smiling when she accepted it and briefly leaned against him. He turned his head so that his nose brushed against her dark curls. He took a deep breath, enjoying the familiar scent of lavender that he'd grown to love.

  "Come, let us walk and I will tell you all about it. It's nothing too worrisome, I promise. Just maybe... a bit delicate?"

  "Delicate?" Darcy glanced down and felt hope flare. Already?

  Startled, Elizabeth followed his gaze, then, with a rueful smile, shook her head. "No, not that version of delicate. Not yet, but hopefully soon."

  Darcy swallowed his disappointment and just nodded, leading her out of the dining-room and into the side-garden. Out here they could talk in private while also enjoying the mild summer-sun and each other's company. For a moment, silence reigned between them while they slowly ambled down the path.

  "So, will I finally find out what is troubling you?" Darcy asked. "Or rather troubling Georgiana and Catherine?"

  Elizabeth laughed softly. "A few days ago, they came to me with a request that I needed to consider carefully."

  "And you couldn't come to me for advice?" he asked, trying to mask his hurt.

  Elizabeth stopped and forced him to face her so that she could cup his face. "I fully planned to come to you but I felt I needed some additional information from a more knowledgeable and less partial source, as both Georgiana and Catherine weren't the most helpful. Aunt Gardiner's
letter arrived only this morning."

  She pulled the letter out of her pocket and held it out to Darcy. Feeling even more confused, he glanced from the letter to Elizabeth and back.

  With a sigh, she took his arm again and dragged him along. "I felt it pertinent to have all the necessary information to bring forth my argument and answer your questions before I troubled you with this. Or to tell Georgiana and Kitty to forget about it, as it was not going to happen."

  Darcy nodded slowly, accepting her reasoning. Her intelligence and independence of thought were one of her finer characteristics. He appreciated her thoughtfulness.

  A faint frown briefly crossed Elizabeth's face before she glanced at him. "There's a new dance. It's supposedly, all the rage in town right now. Georgiana and Catherine wish to learn the steps." She hesitated slightly. "It might even be necessary for Georgiana to know the steps once she comes out. Some gentlemen are bound to ask her to dance this specific dance."

  "And? I don't see what the issue with learning a new dance would be."

  He was a good and accomplished dancer although he was rather selective in his choice of partner and preferred partners he knew and felt comfortable with. His wife, of course, had quickly become his favorite. Not that they were able to dance together very often.

  "Ah, it's a dance that some consider rather scandalous."

  "Scandalous?"

  Scandal was something that had touched both their families in the form of one George Wickham. Georgiana had escaped relatively unscathed. Wounded at heart maybe. Richer in experience but untouched by even the rumor of a scandal. Elizabeth's family hadn't fared as well and it had only been through Darcy's intervention and help that the worst had been prevented. Lydia's respectability had been saved and the family saved from scandal. He still felt guilty for not warning Elizabeth or Mr. Bennet of the true extent of Wickham's character flaws.

  Elizabeth nodded her thoughts clearly still on the issue of the dance they were discussing.

  "It is called the German Waltz. Mr. Pool has also referred to it as the closed Waltz," she explained.

  Mr. Pool was the dance instructor he'd hired to teach Georgiana and to help her practice. Although still young, Mr. Pool was an excellent dancer and a patient instructor with a vast repertoire. Even Darcy had benefited from the young man's instructions. Of course he would know about new dances that were coming into fashion.

  "It seems as if this dance has been rather popular in Germany and Austria for some time by now and is now making its way to England."

  Darcy frowned, as something niggled his memory. "I think I have read about in the Times some months back? They called it rather unseemly," he recalled.

  Elizabeth nodded. "Mr. Pool mentioned the same, yet, it is considered fashionable and danced at all the private balls." She pointed to the letter Darcy still held in his hand. "Which is why I decided to write to my aunt Gardiner and ask for her advice. I've also written to Jane. I have her letter in my office if you want to read it."

  Darcy nodded.

  "Why not ask Miss Bingley? She currently resides in town and is very knowledgeable when it comes to what's fashionable," he wondered.

  "Ah, Miss Bingley was the one who first mentioned the Waltz to Georgiana," Elizabeth said her voice utter dry and even.

  Darcy bit back a smile at the curt answer and the tone in which it was delivered. He was not entirely unaware of the tension between his wife and his old friend's sister and knew that he was the cause of it. His admiration for Elizabeth's fine eyes had been what had first set Caroline Bingley against her.

  "What advice did Mrs. Gardiner offer?" Darcy asked. "And just why is this dance considered such a scandal."

  Of course, he could just read the letter but he wanted to hear Elizabeth's reasoning and her arguments, based on the advice she'd been given.

  "Well, she pointed out the article in the Times that you just mentioned. The reason, according to her, is the fact that during the Waltz the gentleman puts his hand on the lady's waist or back and they are facing each other the whole time and are rather... close."

  "I see," Darcy said slowly, trying to picture the position.

  It was one he might enjoy while dancing with his wife but could see why many would object, especially parents with impressionable young daughters who were prone to fall in love with any man who smiled at them.

  "She also mentioned that this season the Patronesses at Almack's have finally allowed the Waltz," Elizabeth continued.

  Darcy pondered her statement. "It is now danced at Almack's?"

  Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, the Patronesses have agreed to it although every young lady still requires permission before she can accept a gentleman's request."

  She laughed softly. "And that brings us back to Georgiana and Catherine. They wish to learn the Waltz."

  Darcy tried to consider the request. A part of him wanted to say no right away but he had to be impartial. It was only to be expected that new dances came into fashion, even some that might push what was considered appropriate. He couldn't deny Georgiana this potential opportunity.

  "What is your advice?" he asked Elizabeth. "You have already reached a decision, haven't you? Or, at least, settled on a course of action." He allowed his fondness to color his voice.

  Elizabeth inclined her head slightly. "Indeed. I have already talked to Mr. Pool. He knows the steps. He assured me of that and that he would be happy to provide instructions." She smiled at him, full of impish sweetness. "I thought that it would be prudent if Mr. Pool showed the steps to us first. And, once we have a personal and intimate knowledge of the intricacies of the dance, we can decide how to proceed. And what to tell Georgiana and Catherine."

  Darcy considered her suggestion then nodded. Her reasoning was sound and it would be interesting to learn a new dance with Elizabeth as his partner.

  "That sounds excellent." He reached for her hand and pressed a kiss to the back. "Could I task you with setting up an appointment for a lesson with Mr. Pool?"

  "Of course!" she said, then laughed softly "And maybe I can even arrange it in such a way that Georgiana and Kitty won't notice."

  He smiled at the sparkle in her brown eyes. "Leaving the young ladies in suspense?"

  She widened her eyes in mock surprise then giggled. "Well, a lesson in patience will serve Kitty well."

  Darcy inclined his head in agreement. Miss Bennet had improved in temperament ever since she was away from the direct influence of her mother and younger sister but there was still much she needed to learn. Patience being one of them. Georgiana was better at it but waiting for a while wouldn't do her any harm either.

  "Then we are in agreement," Elizabeth said.

  Darcy nodded. "Although I would like to accept your offer of reading Mrs. Bingley's letter as well."

  "Yes, of course." Elizabeth turned in the direction of the house. "Would you like to see it now?"

  Darcy was tempted to say 'Yes' but then he remembered that he had a previous engagement and was expected. He pulled out his pocket watch and realized that he would be late if he didn't hurry. Mr. Thatcher, his steward, would not complain but he took pride in being on time for any appointment.

  "I would love to but I agreed to meet with Mr. Thatcher to settle a dispute between some tenants. You will have to excuse me. Maybe I can find you once I'm finished with Mr. Thatcher."

  Elizabeth nodded. "I should be in my office for the next few hours. Mrs. Reynolds mentioned something about the household budget and a few other issues. I also need to talk with Cook. I'd thought to include Georgiana and Catherine as well so that they will gain more knowledge about running a household."

  Darcy nodded. He was grateful that Mrs. Reynolds was willing to work closely with Elizabeth and relinquish some of her power. Up until now, she'd been in almost full control and having now a young mistress surely had to chafe. Running a household as big as Pemberley was also still a challenge for Elizabeth as Mrs. Bennet hadn't spend much time with instructing her daughters i
n the management of one. Involving the young Miss Bennet was probably a very good idea.

  Despite his engagement, Darcy was loathed to leave her. The weather was fine, warm with a light breeze, and he would rather continue to leisurely stroll along the grounds, basking in his wife's presence than deal with the ailments of his tenants. Yet, he was too aware of his own responsibilities and his duties to the people living on his grounds, to just shirk them. The fact that Thatcher had asked him for help already told him that this was not something his steward thought he could deal with on his own. That meant he had to leave.

  "Very well," he finally sighed and pressed another kiss to the back of her hand. Then gave in to temptation and drew her into an actual kiss, sighing happily when she easily came into his arms and enthusiastically returned his affection.

  It took all of his formidable willpower but Darcy managed to pull away. He offered her a short bow and smile.

  "I have to leave you now, my love, but I shall see you later."

  Elizabeth nodded. "Be well and I hope you can settle this problem quickly."

  A brief frown crossed Darcy's face and he nodded. He would see this dispute settled today, as he refused to waste even more time on it.

  Determined and with his goal settled firmly in his mind, he took his leave and strode down the path that would take him in the direction of his steward's office. When he glanced back, he saw Elizabeth still standing where he'd left her, watching him. He lifted his hand for one final farewell and smiled when she waved back.

  Chapter 3

  Elizabeth leaned against the window and looked out over the beautiful grounds that were now part of her home. The sight of the trees, the river, and the winding valley still managed to delight her, just as it had when she'd first perceived it during her first visit with her aunt and uncle Gardiner. Back then she'd felt wistful, imaging herself as mistress of Pemberley, knowing that it was never to be. Yet, here she was. Mistress of Pemberley.