by Greer Boyd
As the four young men began to relax and the others started to shake their hands in congratulations, Darcy asked, “What do you say we join the rest of the family and make some announcements?”
All the young men gave a resounding “Here, here.”
When the convivial cluster of men exited the sitting room, they were met by four very concerned young women. Darcy hugged each one in turn and said, “Let me be the first to officially offer you my heartfelt wishes for your happiness.”
“Oh, thank you, cousin,” echoed each in turn. Then, they all ran to hug their brother.
As each young gentleman offered his particular lady his arm, the entire party walked from Pemberley House to the area where the tents were set up. Everyone was smiling at them, especially Aunt Eleanor, as Piers made the announcement of the engagement and the three courtships. Shouts of joy could probably have been heard in Lambton, so enthusiastic was the reception of the good news. Gabby caught the eye of her sister Lin and they both smiled. They would wait until Mr. Grove and his friend, Mr. Georges, came for the engagement ball before they spoke to either their Cousin Piers or their Cousin William.
∞∞∞
Aunt Eleanor was truly in her element. Since she had worked out every possible detail for the engagement ball for Rebecca, Georgiana, Mary, and Charlotte, it was only a matter of adding Maryann’s name to the invitation. Who could possibly have believed that Aunt Eleanor’s pairing for the infamous ride through Hyde Park would have proven to be so successful? With Georgiana, Rebecca, and Maryann all wishing to be married from the parish church at Kympton, she would have her triple wedding after all. Richard and Charlotte preferred to be married at the parish church at Hunsford, and David and Mary would be married at the family chapel at Matlock.
But, of course, the ball came before all. With so many ball gowns to be made, Gabby had sent a list to her shop in London detailing the multitude of items that were to be sent to Pemberley. Whatever she had overlooked could most likely be found at the modiste shop in Lambton.
Jane had sent an express to Netherfield for the gown that she had worn on the night of the Netherfield ball: the night when Charles had asked for a courtship. The dress along with all of the accessories arrived within the week, and she was pleasantly surprised to find that no major alteration was needed. The system of ribbons on each side of the bodice that Gabby had developed worked wonderfully and allowed the bit of extra room needed for Jane’s now fuller bust line, since she was sharing the duty of nursing Jonathan along with the wet nurse.
Gabby had discussed the design of each gown with her sisters. Soon, with the additional assistance of Georgiana, Jane, and Elizabeth, they worked to have all of the gowns completed within the month and just a few days prior to the ball. Since it was a private ball, Annabel would have a new gown and be allowed to attend to watch only, necessarily retiring to her bedchamber at midnight.
The modiste in Lambton made the new gowns to be provided for the maid-companions, since they would attend as companions for their mistresses. There was no way that there would be any hint of impropriety at the Pemberley Engagement Ball. Darcy and Elizabeth would attend also, but because of their continuing period of mourning, they would not be allowed to dance.
Aunt Eleanor discussed potential wedding dates with the couples collectively and determined that Richard and Charlotte should be the first to marry about six weeks after the engagement ball, followed by David and Mary two weeks after that. Then, after another two weeks, Georgiana, Rebecca, and Maryann would be married. That timeframe should allow for a honeymoon of at about one week’s duration for each of the couples, and still meant everyone could participate in the first portion of the Little Season in London during November. And, more importantly, there would be sufficient time to create five elegant wedding gowns.
Aunt Eleanor was not at all surprised to find that Gabby and her sisters had already been secretly working on the wedding gowns for Elizabeth, Mary, Rebecca, and Maryann. In reality, they had been working on their own wedding gowns for quite a long time, each hoping that one day there would be an opportunity to wear it.
Mrs. Reynolds had been busy not only working with Aunt Eleanor regarding the arrangements for the ball and the midnight supper, but filling the positions of the maids that would not be returning to service at Pemberley House. Since the maids that Georgiana had assigned as companions to the D’Arcy sisters and cousins would be going to Caenvista, all of the maids in training had been promoted and new maids had been brought in to begin training in their place.
For the night of the ball, as was common practice for a large social event, extra servants had come from Caenvista to assist the Pemberley House staff, along with servants from Avonlea and from a couple of the larger neighboring estates. The estate owners were glad to lend their servants’ assistance, and the servants themselves were more than willing to help, since everyone in service at Pemberley House that night would receive a bonus.
As the day of the Pemberley Engagement Ball arrived, the ladies of Pemberley House were in all manner of nervous excitement. When the hour came to start greeting the arriving guests, both Darcy and Elizabeth were spared the duties of the receiving line because of their mourning. But everyone else cheerfully took their places. The gowns of the ladies were a plethora of various shades of pinks, blues, greens, lavenders, and some were whites and creams with various ribbons adding colour to the gown. Each of their gentlemen was adorned in such manner as the colours of their attire matched perfectly with that of their particular lady.
Three hundred guests came for the Engagement Ball, not a total “crush” by London standards, but it was quite a “crush” by Derbyshire standards. So the receiving line welcomed guests for more than an hour and a half. As the musicians started to play the strains of the first set, the couples began to take their places. First, Lord and Lady Matlock took the floor, followed by Piers and Georgiana, then each of the other engaged couples, and then the couples who were courting. Finally, everyone who wished to dance flooded onto the floor and the ball began.
Throughout most of the evening, Nathan, Annabel, and Caroline, her maid-companion, stood beside Darcy, Elizabeth, and Katie, Elizabeth’s maid-companion. They ventured between Uncle Edward and Aunt Lilly, Jane and Charles, Uncle James and Aunt Eleanor, and back to Darcy and Elizabeth as the evening progressed. As the last strands of the waltz flowed throughout the halls of Pemberley House signaling the end of the supper set, everyone departed to the various rooms that had been established for them to refresh themselves before partaking of the elegantly prepared meal that was to be served.
After almost everyone had returned, moved to the tables that had been spread for supper, and sought the name card indicating where they were to be seated, Annabel sought her mother. “Mama,” she sighed as she hugged her mother tightly. “Thank you so much for allowing me to attend the ball.” Holding her hands clasp tightly together over her heart, as a dreamy expression came over her face, she continued, “It has been the most wonderful night of my life.”
Aunt Eleanor gave her daughter a gentle squeeze, as she laughingly told her, “Well my dear, I hope that you will have many more wonderful nights. Now, off to bed with you. I am sure that everyone will be discussing the ball in the morning and for many mornings to come.”
“Good night, Mama,” giggled Annabel, then she and Caroline departed the ballroom and headed for the stairs that led to the family and guest quarters. At the foot of the stairs, Annabel noticed a maid, whom she had not seen before, directing a man up the stairs to the family floors. The man obviously was not dressed for the ball, and Annabel could not fathom what possible business he would have “above” stairs. With her maid-companion in tow, she approached the unfamiliar maid and inquired with a bit of forced cheerfulness, “I am sorry but I do not think that I have met you before. May I ask your name?”
“My name is Gracie, My Lady,” replied the young maid shyly.
“Gracie, do you know who the man is t
hat just went above stairs?” asked Annabel, still maintaining her cheerful voice.
“No Ma’am,” Gracie admitted, as she nervously twisted her hands in her apron. “He said that he had been called to make a repair in the nursery, so I gave him direction.”
Seeing the distress on the face of the maid, Annabel maintained her composure. “Do not worry, Gracie. I will go up to the nursery to make sure that he found his way.”
Quickly turning from the young maid after she had curtsied and hurriedly walked away, Annabel told her companion, “Caroline, go as quickly as you can to the super room and discreetly ask my brothers Richard and David to come to the nursery immediately, but quietly. I fear that something is not right, but I do not want to alarm anyone.”
As her companion turned to leave, Annabel whispered loudly, “Hurry, Carolyn. Hurry.”
Annabel carefully made her way up the stairs to the nursery wing until she was standing just outside the partially opened door to the nursery itself. She stopped short and carefully looked through the door when she heard a man’s gruff voice arguing with the nurse, “I tell you I am to take the young boy to his cousin.”
“NO, No, you will not. I do not know you,” cried Nurse Lauren. She quickly stepped between the man and the crib where Thomas slept, “I will not allow you to take Master Thomas anywhere.”
“Well, that is just too bad,” spat the man before he struck her forcefully with the back of his hand, and she crumpled to the floor.
Annabel knew she was no match for the man in strength, but possibly she could match wits with him long enough for her brothers to arrive.
Making herself seem as small and childlike as possible, she slumped her shoulders and asked in a small voice, “May I ask what is going on here?” as she slowly entered the nursery, being careful to leave the door opened wide behind her.
The man turned immediately to face her and slowly lowered a knife into the crib and held it slightly above Thomas’ still sleeping form.
“You donna’ take another step,” he replied quite loudly.
“Oh, you do not have to worry about that. I have no intention of taking another step,” Annabel countered, as fear made her heart race and she tried to keep the quiver out of her voice. “You know you will wake the baby if you keep shouting like that,” she stated as calmly and quietly as possible. “I do not think you want a crying baby on your hands now, do you?”
“I am gonna take the boy with me cryin’ or not,” said the man but with a noticeably slightly lower volume to his voice.
“Do you mean to kidnap him?” asked Annabel, trying to make her voice sound excited, surprised, and fascinated like an inquisitive little girl. “That sounds like quite an adventure.”
The man relaxed his stance beside the crib and removed the knife from above Thomas’ sleeping body and now only held it loosely in his hand.
Annabel gave a silent sigh of relief, as she took one probationary step toward the crib. She asked in the most tentative little girl voice that she could manage, “What has Master Thomas done that his cousin should want you to kidnap him?”
“His family stole an estate that rightly belongs to Mr. Collins,” spoke the man rather authoritatively, quite obviously thinking to take her into his confidence.
“Mr. Collins? Mr. Collins . . . he was the awful cousin that threw Elizabeth’s family out to fend for themselves,” thought Annabel with disgust.
“OH. My. And, what did little Master Thomas do to this cousin?” asked Annabel, trying to add the sound of confusion to her “little girl” voice.
“Well, I donna rightly know,” replied the man, now with a very noticeable bit of confusion as he ran the hand not holding the knife through his thinning and quite dirty hair. “But his cousin wants me to bring the boy to him anyway.”
“Is Mr. Collins waiting downstairs for you?” she asked as she pretended to look over her shoulder. “Or are you to take Master Thomas somewhere to meet him?”
“I am gonna take him to meet his cousin in the woods,” the man answered quietly, again leaning forward slightly as though he were taking Annabel into his confidence.
Annabel saw her brother Richard in the shadow through the slightly opened door of the servants’ entrance behind the man. She could only hope that her other brother David was beside the open door through which she had entered the nursery. As she advanced another step into the room, she offered, “Well, if you are going to be taking Master Thomas out to the woods in the cool night air to meet his cousin, Mr. Collins, let me change him out of his nightclothes, and dress him a bit warmer so he will not be much trouble for you later.”
Taking another step toward the crib and pointing with her left hand she informed him, “His outdoor clothing is in the armoire right over here.”
The man backed up one step and then another, seemingly trying to increase his distance from her. Her step had taken her to the side of the room out of the path of either of her brothers. Fortunately, the would-be kidnapper’s steps took him back and further away from Thomas’ crib. At that moment, Richard burst into the room and ran toward the man with his sword drawn, as David came just as swiftly through the open nursery door with a pistol.
Both Annabel and little Thomas were too far away for the man to use either one of them as a shield, so he simply stood looking from Richard to David for a long moment before dropping his knife and surrendering to the two brothers. As two burly footmen quickly entered the nursery to take charge of the man, and Mrs. Reynolds followed by a maid and another footman sought to look after Nurse Lauren, Annabel felt herself start to shake all over.
As Richard took her into his arms, he was at once loving and accusing, “Annabel, just what do you think you were trying to do?” She then began to cry in earnest and hold him tightly.
“Oh, Brother,” she cried mournfully, “he was going to take little Thomas to his awful cousin, Mr. Collins.” As her body began to shake even more, she continued to cry, “He is somewhere in the woods waiting for Thomas now. I just could not let him take him. I . . . I tried to be brave like you and David.” Then she gave herself up to quaking sobs.
Richard was surprised to see Nathan sweep into the nursery and take Annabel from his arms and clutch her tightly to himself. “Annabel, I am here now. You do not have to be frightened anymore.” Nathan fiercely comforted her, while Richard and David could only look at one another in wonder.
“Oh Nate, I was so scared, but I am glad that you are here now,” she cried, as he continued to hold her closely.
“Mrs. Reynolds,” David said as calmly as possible, “please go down and bring both Darcy and Elizabeth, and my mother and father here as quietly and quickly as you can.”
“I will be as swift as possible, Lord David,” she answered, and set off at a pace that frankly astonished him.
He quickly turned to the intruder, “You are Mr. Bailey’s son are you not? Edgar I believe . . . is it?” asked David.
“Uuhh, yes,” replied the intruder fearfully. Then David stepped in front of him so quickly that the man almost stumbled in his haste to back up, “Where is this Mr. Collins hiding? In what part of the woods is he?”
Richard almost knew what the man was going to say before the words came pouring from his mouth, “He is inside the woods at the edge of the far field. There is a rock formation close to the small stream. He is supposed to be hiding in the rocks there waiting for me to come with the boy.”
David was stunned to feel an almost uncontrollable rage rise up in him, the force of which he had never felt before. He knew that, if he felt this terrible fury, it was going to be all that he and Richard could do to control Darcy.
In less than a quarter hour, Mrs. Reynolds came through the nursery door followed in quick order by Elizabeth and Darcy, Uncle James and Aunt Eleanor, and Mr. Proctor, the magistrate. David had forgotten that he and his wife were in attendance at the ball and was ever grateful for Mrs. Reynolds’ anticipating the need for his presence. As David calmly told them what
had taken place, Elizabeth gasped and ran to Thomas’ crib, while Aunt Eleanor stumbled as she ran to Annabel. Finding her daughter held tightly in Nathan’s embrace and sobbing softly, she simply put her arms around them both and hugged them tightly.
As he’d expected, Richard had to place a restraining hand on Darcy’s arm, and Mr. Proctor quickly stepped before him, “Lord Pemberley, Mr. Darcy, please allow me do my job and this matter can be handled quietly without a lot of sensation or speculation from your guests. Let us not give people something to gossip about if we can help it.”
Looking at Uncle James and Aunt Eleanor and then back to Darcy, as he walked to stand by Elizabeth’s side at the crib, Mr. Proctor insisted, “I am asking you to go back to the ball. There are only two more sets before the night is over, and if you return there now, there will be only minimal speculation as to why you left for a short period of time. That is far better than the level of gossip that will arise if you do not return.”
He looked beseechingly at Darcy, “I will send a runner as soon as Mr. Collins is in custody, and I ask that you come into Lambton first thing in the morning. Then, I will come back later in the day and take a full statement from the injured nurse and Lady Annabel.”
