More Letters From Pemberley

by Jane Dawkins

  Pemberley

  Tuesday, 14th June, 1814

  My dear Mamma,

  Your letter arrived this morning and finds us all in good health. Let me assure you that Mr. Darcy is by no means disappointed with his Daughter; quite the contrary, he is delighted with her. There is no cause for distress, and I entreat you to cease your concern that your Grandchild is not a boy. We are thankful that Annie is healthy and strong; she already brings us great happiness and you will afford me a great honour by sharing in it.

  Jane returns to The Great House on Thursday. Mr. Bingley does not merely send the carriage for her, but comes himself with Frederick Charles and the Nurse—a first meeting for the two Cousins.

  My Sister begs me send her love to you and to our Father, to which I add my own.

  E.D.

  Pemberley

  Saturday, 18th June, 1814

  Dear Lady Catherine,

  Thank you for your kind congratulations on the birth of our Daughter. Indeed, you are correct: her name honours the memory of your Sister, Mr. Darcy’s Mother, and I trust she will prove herself worthy of it in the years to come.

  I am also deeply obliged to you for your words of advice; it was most kind of you to take so much of your valuable time to impart your own experience, and I intend to make careful study of your words, particularly since you mention that my dear friend, Mrs. Collins (whose good sense I value highly) has benefited so greatly from them. Your Ladyship may rest assured that I am resolved to be a good Mother to my Children, to pray for them, to set them good examples, to give them good advice, to be careful both of their souls and bodies, and to watch over their tender minds. Since (as you say) my Children will have all the advantage of wealth and position, I am sure you will agree that as their Parents, Mr. Darcy and I will be obliged to remind them how privileged they are, and instill in them the qualities of good character, modesty, integrity and compassion for others, without which wealth and position are meaningless.

  In closing, I should like to add my own wish to Mr. Darcy’s that you will consent to attend the nuptials of Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam in November, and do us the further honour of staying at Pemberley. This will also afford you the opportunity to see Mr. Repton’s work for yourself and, I trust, be reassured that his alterations have done nothing but enhance Pemberley’s beauty. (My Husband begs me add that, as you had requested, Georgiana did indeed report your opinion of Mr. Repton to him. He is much obliged.) Mr. Darcy joins me in the hope that your Daughter’s health will allow her to accompany you here.

  Ever yours,

  E. Darcy

  Pemberley

  Monday, 20th June, 1814

  My dear Lady Mansfield,

  Knowing how little you like being away from home and your Children, the honour of your call was most deeply appreciated. Your devotion to your Children is indeed exemplary and much remarked upon among our acquaintance as the finest example of Motherhood, and a standard to which we should all aspire.

  Your advice did not fall upon deaf ears, I assure you, and it was especially pleasing to know that we share similar views on so many topics. That we should disagree on a few trifling points is therefore of little import and I would not wish you to consider any differing views of mine as any criticism of yours. My choosing not to employ a wet-nurse, against your advice, may or may not be a modern fad, but in nursing my Child myself, I am obeying my instincts as a Mother, selfish instincts I have simply chosen not to deny.

  On the subject of obedience and discipline in Children, I entirely agree that they are indispensable in their upbringing. All I intended to imply was that perhaps it is imprudent to call them forth too frequently on trivial occasions. Fear and force will, of course, govern Children when small, but I feel certain that having a strong hold on their affections will have the most influence over them as they journey through Life.

  In saying thus much, I was speaking in the most general of terms, and certainly not passing comment on you, dear Lady Mansfield. From my own observation, your Children are exceedingly well-behaved and their devotion to their Mother boundless.

  If my words caused you offence, I apologise unreservedly and beg forgiveness. Any offence was quite unintended, I assure you. I hope I may be permitted to seek your valuable advice in future—I know I shall be in need of it—and also know that there is nobody of my acquaintance so experienced and dedicated to the proper care of their Children as you.

  Yours faithfully,

  Elizabeth Darcy

  Pemberley

  Tuesday, 16th August, 1814

  You are too kind, my dear Aunt. To take it upon yourself to assist Georgiana in the purchase of wedding clothes is more than generous. I must include my Uncle, too, for his own generosity in sparing you for this undertaking.

  To own the truth, we were all mightily relieved to have your offer: Miss Bingley wrote a long letter of congratulation on Annie’s birth, adding that since I would be unable to accompany Georgiana to town for wedding clothes, and knowing that she (Miss B.) would be more likely than I to know the best shops, she would willingly cut short her stay with friends in Sussex to put herself at G.’s disposal. Until that moment, while we might well have given a passing thought to wedding clothes, it was ever a subject for later discussion and consequently dismissed from our minds. A birth, an Infant and latterly a christening have filled our days, and now the calendar informs us that later is now! Thank you again, dear Aunt, for your forethought. For her part, Georgiana did not wish to put herself forward lest she should appear avaricious. Silly goose!

  As you might expect, Mr. Darcy has made a most generous allowance for wedding clothes, so there is no need for either you or Georgiana to concern yourselves on that score. G. and I have begun a list of commissions: shoes, stockings, gloves, hats, feathers and trimmings, morning and visiting dresses, cloaks, shawls, wraps, riding habits, ball gowns. (The mantua-maker here makes her wedding gown, but Georgiana will need to purchase ivory buttons for it from William & Son.) Should this long list alarm you, dear Aunt, you are, of course, at liberty to amend it as you see fit, and as your time and energy allow.

  A commission from Mr. Darcy, if you please: He requests, nay insists, that you both pay a visit to Bourgeois Amick & Sons in the Haymarket. There, you and Georgiana are to purchase the finest scent of your choice with his best compliments. (I am also to add that arrangements have already been made for these items to be charged to Mr. D.’s account.)

  I blush at my own impudence, yet cannot resist asking that if you should pass by Lackington’s, would you purchase a copy of a new Scottish novel, Waverley, for me? The author remains anonymous, but by all accounts it is a great success. Lady Ashton Dennis tells me that Byron’s Lara is to be published this month and I should dearly love a copy if it does not put you to too much trouble.

  How dearly I wish that I, too, could be of the party. What a merry time we would have, the three of us. Instead, Georgiana has been charged to write me daily of your doings; I want to know every particular so that I may be properly envious!

  I shall now write Miss Bingley that she should remain happily in Sussex.

  With my best love, as always,

  Lizzy

  Pemberley

  Monday, 14th November, 1814

  My dear Aunt,

  I have had not a moment’s time to write, or you should not have been left so long in ignorance of all the particulars of Georgiana’s wedding to Colonel Fitzwilliam. I hasten to make amends.

  The day dawned clear and temperate; the bride and groom were as nervous as they ought to be; the bride’s handsome Brother was by turns bursting with pride and deeply affected by the honour of giving his only Sister in marriage to his Cousin and dear friend. The bride’s dress was of snow-white muslin, and over it a fine silk shawl, white, shot with primrose, and all over embossed with white satin flowers. The delicate yellow tints were most becoming to her fair hair
and sunny, clear complexion, though her natural sweet modesty was the most graceful ornament to her beauty.

  Dear Georgiana, in never seeking admiration, she will always find it. Some lines of George Crabbe came to me as I observed her:

  Her air, her manners, all who saw admir’d;

  Courteous though coy, and gentle though retired

  The joy of youth and health her eyes displayed,

  And ease of heart her every look conveyed.

  I ought to say something about the bridegroom, though he is but a secondary figure on these occasions and rarely mentioned in reports of weddings. But since he plays an important role in the proceedings, I shall give him his due and tell you that the Colonel cut a very fine figure indeed in his dress uniform.

  Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh honoured us with their presence, arriving at Pemberley (unannounced) just three days before. Knowing that they planned to attend—Lady C. finally having informed my Husband of her intention—I had had rooms prepared three weeks prior and aired daily since. Mr. Darcy and I had anyhow resolved not to be put out by anything her Ladyship might say or do, so it was of little matter. She lost little time in inspecting Mr. Repton’s alterations and additions, opined that I should regret the particular shade of yellow chosen for my sitting room draperies—they will quickly fade—and declared the new servants’ wing an error in judgment and taste. The new conservatory left her quite speechless, I am told, a rare event I am sorry not to have witnessed. Thankfully, she stopped short of declaring Pemberley “ruined,” yet that was the unspoken sentiment. My Husband, I am proud to say, while tested beyond the limits of endurance by Lady C.’s lectures on good taste and style, exercised great forbearance and restraint. Towards myself, Lady Catherine was as polite as good manners dictated and I am indebted to her for choosing to ignore me for the most part.

  Your Great-Niece, subjected to similar close inspection was, regrettably, found much wanting in disposition. Her merry eyes and ready smiles are evidently not desirable traits in an Infant of five months, and prompted her Ladyship to remark, that “All Children are by nature evil, Mrs. Darcy. Prudent parents must check their naughty passions in any way they have in their power and force them into decent and proper behaviour.” My poor, poor Charlotte! How she must daily suffer! Our Daughter’s failings notwithstanding, Lady Catherine did deem her fit to receive a very fine brooch with which to mark her birth.

  You will recall that Lady Catherine had very decided ideas about her Niece’s nuptials. It was hardly surprising, therefore, that she was overheard to declare the occasion a “very dull affair: very little white satin, very few lace veils; a most pitiful business,” yet I can assure you that for all other parties concerned, who do not share her Ladyship’s taste for finery and parade, the simplicity of the nuptials added a real elegance to the occasion.

  I had, at last, the opportunity to meet Colonel Fitzwilliam’s Father and found him a fine, genial man of good sense, not at all like his Sister, Lady Catherine (to whom he paid scant attention). Mr. Darcy remembers him and his Mother, Lady Anne, being much alike in temperament, favouring their own Father in disposition.

  As a special surprise, Mr. Darcy arranged for Mrs. Annesley (G.’s former companion) to attend the wedding—my Husband’s thoughtfulness never ceases to astonish me, and in this instance he was well rewarded by the warmth of their embraces and their obvious affection for one another. Many tenants, villagers, farm workers and others crowded outside the church for a glimpse of the bride, shouting blessings and good wishes, and Mr. Darcy made sure that everyone at Pemberley could celebrate the occasion in style by arranging festivities in the new servants’ wing, complete with music for dancing.

  The newly-weds prudently decided to postpone a wedding journey to the Continent. While Napoleon is safely imprisoned at Elba for the moment, rumours abound that he has plans to escape. Moreover, the Colonel would not wish to be far from his regiment in these uncertain times. So they are spending their first weeks as Man and Wife in their new house, happily engaged in domestic rather than cultural pursuits.

  Now we find ourselves quite alone again, but by no means repining (though, of course, Georgiana is sorely missed). We shall join the Bingleys for the Christmas festivities. Mr. Darcy keenly looks forward to good sport; Jane and I will be perfectly satisfied with our own company and Children. I shall endeavour not to mind too greatly the want of a favourite Aunt to complete our party, and content myself with the happy thought that we shall see each other in London in the New Year. Meanwhile, let me thank you again for your part in making the occasion of Georgiana’s wedding such a joyous one for all of us. Your absence was keenly felt by many, not least by your devoted Niece,

  Elizabeth

  1815

  Grosvenor Street, London

  Monday, 23rd January, 1815

  My dear Jane,

  I should have written long before and beg forgiveness for causing you such concern. We are safely arrived in London following an arduous journey (from which I hasten to assure you we are all now fully recovered.) With many apologies for my shameful neglect (and in part to excuse it) let me lay before you the particulars of our journey here, although there are parts which I would prefer to forget entirely. In saying thus much, I know I may rely on your confidentiality; indeed, I would prefer even Mr. Bingley not to be apprised of every detail, but must leave that to your discretion, which I trust implicitly.

  Our first day from Pemberley, the weather was fair and dry and remained so the entire way to Longbourn, which we reached in excellent time. We stayed but two nights and set out for London early on the 7th. We were not on the road long before the sky darkened and snow began to fall, lightly at first, then the wind gusted in an instant, turning pretty flakes into a blinding storm of whirling snow. Mr. Darcy, whose mood had darkened with the weather, instructed Thompson to stop at the next inn where we would wait until the storm abated. Not five minutes later we heard a loud crack and were pitched over into a ditch! Having first ensured that we were all unhurt, Mr. Darcy and Thompson unhitched the horses which were frightened but otherwise unscathed, thankfully. The horses were then hitched behind the second carriage in some fashion and we set out again to find an inn and send help and fresh horses back to Thompson, who was left to guard our carriage. Annie, who was with Nurse in the second carriage, slept through the whole commotion, bless her heart, and the only sounds to be heard were the muffled steps of the horses. Mr. Darcy was by now in the blackest of moods and I was glad to finally hear that young Thompson (Thompson’s son) saw lights ahead. Never was I so pleased to see a warm fire!

  Once he had arranged rooms and ordered dinner for us all, Mr. Darcy went with young Thompson to settle the horses and make arrangements with the landlord to collect Thompson, our belongings, and have the carriage repaired. Our own valises being still with the carriage, I had nothing to do but see that Nurse and Annie were comfortable, and rest until Mr. Darcy returned. I was rudely awakened by the loud slamming of a door to see Mr. Darcy standing before me.

  “Mrs. Darcy,” he railed, “I do hope you are well aware that none of this would have happened if I had not been so foolish as to acquiesce to your insistence that we travel to London now rather than wait until late March as had been my wish. Also against my wishes, you insisted on our Daughter accompanying us—imagine if she had been in the carriage that overturned! Now here we are—heaven alone knows where—and heaven alone knows how long we may be stranded in this, this . . . place!

  “And while you have been resting comfortably, I wonder if you have considered the welfare of the horses, the expense and time which will be incurred to repair the carriage? It is insupportable, Madam! In indulging your whims, I find myself in the abhorrent position of depending on persons completely unknown to me to rescue my family and servants from an unnecessary predicament which could, indeed, should have been avoided.”

  Before I had a chance to reply (though I
was so shocked at this outburst as to be rendered quite speechless) he turned on his heel and quitted the room. Jane, I knew not what to think. These were the harshest words I had ever heard from his lips and for a moment wondered if I had awoken from a bad dream.

  How long I sat there, I know not. Mr. Darcy’s words rang in my head over and over again. I revisited conversations we had had previously about travelling at this time. Yes, he had wanted to leave later, but agreed with me that we should not deprive my Mother sight of her Grand-daughter for too much longer, adding that travel can be just as hazardous in March with muddy, slippery roads. So it was that we spent the Christmas festivities at Longbourn. Much as I tried, I could not recollect a single instance of my insisting on anything with which I had been charged. Was I deceiving myself? Had I abused his kind, generous nature to such base purpose so often that he finally lost control of his temper? What had I done and how was I to make amends? My attempts to solve the conundrum succeeded only in bringing on a severe headache, yet somehow I managed to tidy myself, dress for dinner and attend to Annie’s needs, the while hoping my demeanour might deceive the Nurse into thinking that nothing was amiss, though it was difficult to imagine that she had not heard at least part of Mr. Darcy’s invective.

  It was now time for dinner and I descended the stairs with some trepidation. Willpower alone permitted me to keep my composure as the landlord presented Mr. Darcy’s apologies for his absence.

  “’E insisted on goin’ back out with the men, Ma’am. Said ’e ’ad t’be sure ’is man was safe. Said for me t’pack up food’n drink for all and to stop ’ere and look after ’is fam’ly and ’orses, Ma’am. I told ’im ’tweren’t right a Gentleman like ’im goin’ out in a storm like this, but ’e insisted, Ma’am. A right fine Gentleman that, Ma’am, if yer don’t mind me sayin’ so.”