Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth

by Greer Boyd

  “Nathan, why not take the young ladies back downstairs, and I will join you shortly?” he stated succinctly.

  “Darcy, we want to be of service to Daniel just like he has been to us,” Nathan explained nervously running his fingers through his hair.

  “I understand your desire to be of service, but let me speak with him for now,” countered Darcy, placing his hand on Nathan’s shoulder. “I will send for you later.”

  When he knocked on the door, and heard Daniel’s shaky “Go away,” he identified himself and pled with the young man to let him in.

  Daniel came to the door and opened it slowly, his head hung down in shame. “Are you sure that you would want to be associated with someone like me?” he asked.

  “And just what did YOU do to make me not want to be associated with you?” inquired Darcy.

  “Elizabeth’s mother said that I am the father of her child,” cried Daniel, his face again drawn in shame.

  “No,” stated Darcy quite firmly, “she said that someone USING YOUR NAME is the father of her child. There is a vast difference between those two statements.”

  “What does it matter?” questioned the young man, his voice low and disconsolate as he slumped on the side of the bed.

  “It matters a great deal. If someone used your name, you are the wronged and therefore injured party. It does not make what was done against your name any less vile, but you were not the perpetrator,” countered Darcy as he sat beside the young man.

  “How should I feel? How would you feel if someone used your name as someone apparently has used mine?”

  “Someone did . . . twice,” replied Darcy, “once at the end of my second year at Cambridge and then again during the middle of my third year.”

  Aghast, Daniel stammered, “What . . . what did you do?”

  “The first time I did nothing, I am ashamed to say,” he replied sincerely. “Although the other man had used my name, the young woman told her father that I was not the man who had compromised her.” After a deep breath, he looked squarely, intently at Daniel, and continued: “But I was well acquainted with that young man. As a matter of fact, he was my father’s ward, and had been almost like a brother to me during my early youth.”

  At the thought of such a betrayal, Daniel’s eyes widened in horror, but he never looked away from Darcy’s face.

  “After that day, I surrounded myself with true and honest men and strove to make sure that no one could ever, in truth, lay that charge at my door,” explained Darcy. “The second time he used my name while committing an indiscretion, I took the opportunity to alter the outcome.”

  With a puzzled look on his face, Daniel simply asked, “How?”

  “I was able to save both the child and her mother from the life associated with an unwed mother and her bastard child,” answered Darcy plainly.

  Again, a glimmer of hope now showing on his face, Daniel again asked, “How?”

  “The child was adopted by a wonderful and loving family able to provide her the life of a lady, and the mother was given a second chance. She later married a clergyman and now has a good and loving husband or, as she describes him, ‘a caring and forgiving man,’” said Darcy.

  “You have seen the mother and know that she is truly happy?” Daniel queried with a voice full of wonder.

  “Yes, I have,” answered Darcy without elaboration.

  Daniel lowered his eyes as he continued to question, “But, what about the child? Is she truly happy as well?”

  Looking pointedly at his inquisitor, Darcy replied, “I think that Lady Annabel is quite happy.”

  From the expression on Daniel’s face, he knew that the distraught young man understood what had been confided. “I could not allow that wicked man to use my name to condemn either of them to the life of an outcast or worse, just as you could not allow the woman who helped him to perpetrate his misdeeds to harm Clarissa.

  “Surround yourself with men of good character and those who love you, and they will help you during any adversity that you may face. Such are the men and women here in Pemberley House. Do not allow yourself to be defeated by your adversities. Grow from them instead. We will all help you.”

  A sudden sob caught in the back of Daniel’s throat as Darcy rested a paternal arm around his shoulders. “Thank you, Darcy. I miss talking with my father so much,” Daniel confessed. “I could go to him with any problem I had.”

  “You can come to any of us as well, and we will help you. All you ever need do is ask,” said a smiling Darcy. “Now, wash your face before you come down for dinner. It promises to be QUITE interesting.”

  “Thank you,” replied the young man, already more confident. “I shall.”

  When Darcy left Daniel’s room, he saw Nathan, Annabel, and Clarissa waiting at the top of the stairs. He told them Daniel should be with them in a few minutes, and all three of the young people, still concerned for their friend, smiled their thanks to him.

  Dinner indeed proved to be interesting. Mrs. Bennet was nothing if not resilient. Once she had thoroughly upset the entire household with her dilemma, she was free to leave the resolution to others, and to carry on as though nothing had happened. She even flirted shamelessly with Mr. Quartermain throughout most of the meal.

  ∞∞∞

  One morning almost a week later, Elizabeth woke so ravenously hungry that she asked Katie to bring her hot chocolate and toast before she began her bath. Almost another week later, as Katie completed the finishing touches to her hair, Elizabeth smiled so brightly at her that she positively glowed. Katie returned the smile and gave Elizabeth a quick squeeze of a hug. Smoothing her bodice and running her hands over her very flat stomach, Elizabeth made her way from her bedchamber to the door of the study she shared with Darcy, eager to share her news.

  “My heart,” she cried with the happiest of voices as she took both of his hands in hers. “My menses is four days late.”

  “Oh my love,” was his only vocal response. The rest was a flurry of kisses, hugs, and peals of laughter from them both.

  ∞∞∞

  During the separation of the sexes after the first dinner with Mr. Quartermain and Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Georges and Mr. Grove discussed how to go about finding the “pretender” perpetrating the slander against young Daniel. Mrs. Bennet had given a fairly detailed description of the man, beyond his being charming, delightful, handsome, well dressed, and well spoken. He was a man in his mid to late forties, tall, six feet at least, with a slender build, dark almost black hair slightly graying at the temples, and brown eyes.

  Mr. Fleming suggested using Bow Street Runners to make inquiries of the “gentleman” around Vauxhall Gardens, the neighborhood where Hill High House was situated. The fact that his visits were made to Elizabeth’s house near Cheapside while Mrs. Upton, the housekeeper, was out could mean that the man had been watching the house for some time, or possibly that he might be known to her.

  Encouraged by Mr. Fleming, Elizabeth wrote to Mrs. Upton to explain the situation regarding her mother and to ask if she might know anyone fitting the gentleman’s description. She received a response by express mail, five days later.

  The Duchess of Pemberley

  Elizabeth Darcy

  Pemberley

  Derbyshire

  Your Grace, Mrs. Elizabeth,

  I was surprised to receive your letter detailing the situation regarding your mother. Please forgive me, but I was not aware of any of it. Knowing your mother as well as you do, you can well imagine that she would never confide in me, since she would suspect I would immediately alert you.

  There is a man known to me who fits the general description that you gave. He was a valet for Mr. Harding, a cousin of the family that raised Mr. Mills. Mr. Harding was a man nearly capable of charming the birds from the trees, but he was a rake as well. He preferred younger women married by convenience to older men or women who were recently widowed.

  When Mr. Harding died about five years ago, his valet, a Mr. Hay
ward Brookman, approached Mr. Mills about a position within the household. Mr. Mills did not have an opening at that time, and, not being that familiar with Mr. Brookman other than his relationship with the questionable Mr. Harding, turned him away.

  It was rumored that he found employment with a gentleman named Greenley who lived somewhere near Vauxhall Gardens.

  I am sorry not to have more information, but I will listen about and notify you should I hear anything of the ‘‘gentleman.”

  Respectfully,

  Agnes Upton

  When Elizabeth read the letter, she immediately sought a footman to locate Mr. Fleming and Mr. Georges and ask them to come to her husband’s study.

  Mr. Georges looked over the letter that Mr. Fleming had just read and handed to him. “It is fortunate that Mr. Grove is scheduled to remain in London for another week before returning to Pemberley. I will send this letter to him by express courier. Working with the Bow Street Runners, it is possible that we may catch Mr. Brookman in the act of impersonating the Earl of Greenwood. If we are successful, it will mean deportation for sure.”

  Five weeks later, Mr. Grove received an express from Mr. Spencer, the head of the Bow Street Runners in London.

  Pemberley House

  Mr. Henry Grove

  Pemberley

  Derbyshire

  Sir,

  We have been successful in our efforts. Mr. Hayward Brookman, using the name of the Earl of Greenwood, Lord Daniel Benton, made a purchase of a necklace from a small jewelry-maker in the town of Leatherhead just outside London proper. Fortunately for us, he signed the back of a calling card bearing the name of the Earl.

  I have the signed card and the jewelry-maker’s description of the necklace, along with the notation of the location of his jewelers mark.

  The necklace was given to a Mrs. Harriett Woodbind, the housekeeper of Hill High House.

  Both Mr. Brookman and Mrs. Woodbind are being held by the magistrate: Mr. Brookman for slander and fraud, and Mrs. Woodbind as his accomplice.

  Since Mr. Georges is administering the holdings for young Lord Greenwood until his majority, he will need to appear before the magistrate to formalize the complaint against the two perpetrators.

  With the evidence at hand, and once the formal complaint is made by Mr. Georges, the magistrate will be able to prosecute without further involvement from either Mr. Georges or the young Earl. Deportation to Australia is assured.

  Glad to be of service,

  Walter Spencer

  Dinner that night was a happy affair. The cook provided an abundance of various foods and fruits, and Lin and Jo made special confections for everyone to enjoy.

  Throughout the evening, Darcy had been running the name Woodbind through his memory, and Elizabeth immediately noticed his distraction. When Henry Grove had mentioned the name, something niggled in the back of his mind, and it had slowly worried its way to the forefront. Before heading to their bedchamber for the night, he and Elizabeth went to his study. There he pulled an envelope from a file in a locked drawer. As he read through the contents, the name seemed to stand out boldly from the page . . . Mrs. Harriet Woodbind.

  “Good God,” groaned Darcy. After he handed the paper to Elizabeth for her to read, all she could say was, “Oh my.” Mrs. Harriet Woodbind was one of the references given by Mrs. Younge when she had applied for the position as companion for Georgiana those many years ago.

  CHAPTER 22

  Aunt Lilly had had her twin girls, and with that began the series of Darcy and extended family births.

  Since Aunt Eleanor’s grandchildren were due to be delivered first, she had been in contact with Dr. Crawford, the Fitzwilliam and Darcy physician from London, and had arranged for him to be in residence beginning the last few days in May, through the entirety of June and July and most of August. Mrs. Hedgeley, the midwife from Lambton, was to be available to Pemberley House before the end of May as well. The midwife from Kympton, Mrs. Rowe, was in London visiting her family, but was also to be available after the first week in June if necessary.

  With six women expected to deliver all within a matter of weeks, the entire household was overly protective of them. Wherever they walked, two footmen always followed closely behind. Since the stairs were universally perceived to be particularly precarious for those whose center of gravity was somewhat skewed by their baby- distended stomachs, Nathan and Daniel volunteered to assist the expectant mothers down to meals in coordination with their husbands.

  Elizabeth and Jane were particularly concerned about Mary. She had grown to enormous proportions and still had almost four weeks to go. When Elizabeth went to Mary’s bedchamber the night before the doctor was scheduled to arrive, she found her sister in tears.

  “Oh Lizzy,” sobbed Mary, as she tried to balance her ungainly girth on the vanity bench. “I am so huge. David does not know what to do with me, from my sudden fits of tears to my other demands.”

  “Other demands?” Lizzy asked, as she gently brushed a stray curl behind Mary’s ear.

  Blushing deeply, Mary leaned her head toward Elizabeth and confided, “I do not know what has happened to me, but I seem to have become very amorous, almost wanton, in my behaviour this last couple of months and demand much of David.”

  Now Elizabeth looked at her sister as she tried to stifle a giggle, and Mary responded with a giggle of her own, “But, he laughs at me and says he is a most fortunate man.”

  Elizabeth hugged her younger sister and, kissing her forehead, said, “Oh Mary. I know that he is a fortunate man, while you are fortunate as well with your choice of husband.”

  The following morning Elizabeth left her bedchamber in time to follow behind David as he and Nathan were assisting Mary down the stairs. Mary’s stomach was truly of mammoth proportion. “She will be gigantic if she goes another three weeks or more,” Elizabeth thought to herself, as Darcy started up the steps to greet her.

  Suddenly, Mary screamed and clutched her lower stomach so violently that both David and Nathan momentarily lost their hold on her. Darcy rushed up the last two steps to steady her before she toppled forward. Elizabeth spoke quickly to David, “Bring her back to her bedchamber.” Turning to the nearest footman, she said, “Have Mrs. Reynolds come to Lady Mary’s room as soon as possible.” But, as she looked back to the staircase, she saw that Mrs. Reynolds was already approaching David as he hoisted Mary into his arms and turned to come back up the stairs.

  Annabel rushed from the breakfast room into the hallway, followed closely by Aunt Eleanor, Aunt Lilly, and Jane. “She is very early,” cried Aunt Eleanor, turning to Mr. Dobbs. “Please send into Lambton for the doctor and midwife as quickly as possible.” Gathering her skirts, she rushed up the stairs.

  Five hours later, the midwife still had not arrived. She was attending a most difficult birth where the labor had already gone on for more than four and twenty hours. An hour later, a note arrived for Aunt Eleanor from the doctor informing her that a wheel on his carriage had broken shortly after he had left the Inn at Kympton that morning and that he would be delayed until the following morning while repairs were being made.

  Aunt Eleanor took Mrs. Reynolds, Aunt Lilly, Jane, and Elizabeth aside to show them the doctor’s note. Looking from one to another, they knew that they were on their own. Elizabeth went down to the sitting room where all the other members of the family and extended family were waiting anxiously with David. Walking directly to him, she placed her hands in his and delivered the news. She calmly explained that both the midwife and the doctor had been delayed; and, at least for the next few hours, she and Jane, their aunts, and Mrs. Reynolds would be attending Mary.

  Gabby, after looking at each of the other women in the room, turned to Elizabeth, “Lizzy, please let us know if there is anything that we can do to help.”

  “You know that I will,” replied Elizabeth. She kissed David on the cheek and reached over to squeeze Gabby’s hands before she turned to leave the room. David sat down heavily in
the nearest chair and was quickly surrounded by the men in the sitting room. With worry evident in his eyes he looked at each of them as they silently gave him their support.

  On the afternoon of May 21, 1820, seven hours after the pains began, a head full of honey blond curls began to emerge and Mrs. Reynolds encouraged Mary to push hard, while Aunt Eleanor and Elizabeth held Mary’s hands tightly within their own. When Mary gave the final push, the future Matlock heir slid into her hands.

  “Oh Lady Mary, he is a most beautiful little boy,” the housekeeper uttered in sheer happiness, as she chaffed his little back until he took his first breath and cried. Then she handed the tiny infant into the hands of the waiting maid, who would clean him and then present him to this mother. No sooner was the child taken from her hands than Mary screamed and nearly doubled in pain. Turning back quickly, Mrs. Reynolds realized another birth was eminent. Immediately understanding, Elizabeth sent one of the maids to Mary’s dressing room for ribbon, just as Mrs. Reynolds had done for Aunt Lilly. Before the maid could return, another beautiful little boy had been born: same face, same blond curls, and same healthy wail.