Chapter 1
As Frederick sat at the breakfast table with Anne, Georgiana and Eric, he still wondered why he was all ready to go to church when he could still be lying in a comfortable bed, warmed by the most wonderful and most beautiful man in the world. Why bother, since his soul could not be saved anyway? And he couldn't blame Anne for his religious observance, he had started to join the family service before she had even accepted his proposal after all.
And where were Darcy and Elizabeth? They were never late, something must have happened yesterday during Elizabeth's visit to Carlton House. Frederick felt responsible but not guilty, one just didn't say no to the Heir Presumptive.
Besides, he still couldn't believe Elizabeth falling for the Prince's charms, and if she hadn't yet returned at all Darcy would have been still awake and sitting in the bay window, waiting.
'I'm pretty sure there is nothing to worry about, Frederick,' Georgiana observed, 'she must have been very late. They know what time church starts, they'll be here. I just hope there will be time to tell us what happened.'
He really had to watch himself, what was happening to him that anyone could read his expressions?
Not just right now, yesterday Nick had pointed out quietly that he was simpering over Simon in his smart coat, he couldn't afford people discovering his true feelings. If he could no longer control his facial muscles his role as a leader of popular society was over.
'Don't scowl, Frederick, you'll frighten me. You're at home with your friends and your fiancée, you are allowed to show your feelings. In fact, since I am to be your beloved wife I insist on knowing what is going on in that intricate mind of yours.'
Anne was a true delight, and she was right, he was among real friends here.
'I'm sorry, my dear, I'm afraid I've never had the blessing of being able to show my true feelings, of just being myself. I'll get used to it. As I will to going out with Simon in public. Kick me if I simper over him, he decided to join the other staff to church, I suppose I may meet him in the aisle.'
These new friends had a different sense of humour, his college clique would have been diverted by such a wry remark, had he been able to admit his forbidden love to them. This little group of soon-to-be relatives looked at him
with feeling. Though Anne was in a similar situation, and she didn't seem to feel sorry for herself at all.
'At least you and I get to walk down the aisle, Frederick, Simon and Nick never will.'
'Do you actually want to do that, walk down an aisle? I don't suppose we have to if we're to be married in a small, private ceremony.'
'You're right, I'd rather meet Nick there today. I'll throw him one look of love, and hope he'll dare to reciprocate.'
She was not serious, she would never risk their involvement getting out. And then the door to the breakfast room opened, admitting the missing master of the house and his lovely lady.
'Elizabeth, you came back!'
Not very subtle, Georgiana. Of course she was just seventeen, and her sister didn't seem insulted by her exclamation. Elizabeth merely laughed mysteriously.
'You have no idea how close a call I had, dear Georgiana.'
'You're not serious!'
'I most certainly am.'
'I cannot believe Mrs Fitzherbert would allow her man to seduce a much younger woman in her presence!'
Frederick could not either, she must be making fun of them.
'That she did not. Instead she was the instigator. Invited me to spend the night with both of them. Intimately.'
She was deadly serious. Well, it was starting to become a habit, being stunned into utter silence. Darcy! Most likely he was ready to rush over and challenge the Prince of Wales for this depravity.
But no, Darcy didn't seem at all angry but rather incredibly happy.
All the others' thoughts had apparently taken the same direction and he looked at all of them in turn, seriously, then observed mildly, 'I'm merely very glad they accepted her polite refusal. I'm not Don Quixote, charging at windmills! I know when I'm outclassed and I hope moving four days' travel to the north will cause them to forget all about her.'
'But three people, really? Is that even possible?'
Poor Eric might be the true innocent among them, though why he should be shocked at the thought of three people together and not by two men was something Frederick had trouble understanding.
'You've read Pierre's exploits, haven't you?'
Well, at least Elizabeth wasn't shocked, whatever a fellow named Pierre had to do with it. Nor did Georgiana seem to be.
'We read all of it. I suppose Eric thought that was the writer's fantasy, not something people really did.'
'Do you mean all of that is real? Real people do these things together? And also in a maze, and the temple in the garden? And in a stables?'
Judging from his reaction, Darcy had done at least one of those. Probably the last, they had spent a mere two weeks at their estate so far, in fall, and though Frederick supposed Darcy had a temple somewhere at Pemberley, even if it was most likely inherited from his father, he doubted Pemberley had a maze, they cost a fortune to keep up and were way too unsophisticated for a man like Darcy, whose grounds were reputed to be nature at its best.
Elizabeth did not show self-consciousness, but she did reply.
'I suppose the story has been made up, Eric, but I for one am no longer surprised by the things people apparently do in private.'
All right, now Frederick felt a little left out. He supposed they were talking of the book Elizabeth had gifted Georgiana with on her birthday. Something must be rather funny for Georgiana started laughing, and then she addressed Frederick himself!
'I'll lend it to you, Frederick, don't worry, we will not leave you wondering what we are talking about. I suppose it's not entirely useless for you, either, people will think you're married, at the very least you need to know what you're supposed to be doing with Anne.'
She could really read him like a young lady's favourite romance! Blast, he was not used to people being able to do that. And besides, he might not ever have been with a woman, he was twice her age and a former member of a rowdy college clique: he could tell her a few things!
'I appreciate the offer, dear Georgiana, and I will certainly accept it and enjoy reading your book. But I assure you, while I have indeed not engaged in those acts in person, I've certainly seen my share of them, remember, I used to throw those parties for my friends.'
Why did he have to say that? Why did he behave like a boy towards Georgiana, trying to prove himself a man of the world? They knew he was not an innocent, any allusion to his college clique could only damage him in Darcy's and Elizabeth's eyes.
But it did have the desired effect, Georgiana was finally shocked, her large blue eyes really looked at him, plain, boring Mr Manners, with a mixture of
distaste and fascination and she blurted out, 'You mean they didn't do that in private? You actually saw what they were up to?'
Instantly checking the expressions of the others to see whether he'd answer that question or evade it, and finding mostly curiosity and no outright disgust, he elaborated airily.
'Grenfell liked to flaunt his prowess, yes, and not with a single lady of sin either, he preferred to be well attended. And the others did seek out a private space, but they sometimes needed me there, or I preferred to keep an eye on them when they'd had too much spirits and I didn't trust the girl in question.
Some of them like to gather some extra income from a customer's person or property, you know, silverware, watches, jewellery. My friends didn't mind my occasional presence, we were very intimate, you see.'
What a subject for breakfast on a Sunday, just before church, but it was clear that though his companions disapproved of hir
ing low women for amusement, they did want to know what was going on in the world around them.
'Very enlightening, dear Frederick,' Anne said with what he was almost certain to be irony, 'I'd like to hear more some day soon. After I've borrowed that book as well, I'm very curious. But now I want to hear what Carlton House was like, I've read so many speculations about its grandeur, was it really that richly furnished?'
And Elizabeth was pleased to describe every room she had visited, the gist of her conversation with Prince George and his lady, how she'd played a magnificent piano in a room with the best acoustics she'd ever heard, and how the older couple had proposed they could all spend the night together in the Prince's very own bedroom. Too bad Elizabeth hadn't, for if she had, would she have had a story to tell! Of course he understood her refusal, he wouldn't want to be with anyone else but Simon now he'd found him.
When Elizabeth's tale was finished it was time to go to church, but Frederick was certain very few of them would be totally concentrated on that day's sermon. Darcy would thank his Lord for letting his beloved return to him unharmed, Elizabeth would pray to be forgotten by the Prince of Wales, Georgiana and Eric would consider playing for him again in that magnificent round room Elizabeth had told them about. And whatever would Anne be thinking of? She was so beautiful and her conversation was starting to become as informed and as entertaining as Elizabeth's. Maybe she was sorry to have agreed to their engagement so quickly, when here was an opportunity
to meet a lot of very highly ranked single men.
But no, Anne wasn't like that. She wanted respect, and some excitement, but not at all like the amusements Mrs Fitzherbert's ladies-in-waiting enjoyed, as described by Elizabeth not half an hour earlier. Partying from dusk until dawn, in a large group of like-minded people of widely different ages but all from the uppermost layer of society. No music or dancing, few servants, no cards or other games. Just talking, drinking potent spirits, sometimes even smoking opium, and all the inevitable baser amusements intoxication and a feeling of privacy were wont to result in. Despite having provided very similar entertainment for his former clique, Frederick disapproved. Not in principle, but in execution, for the newspaper reports on Prince George proved that the few servants attending these occasions talked. Of course they did, even the most privileged servants would try to make a few bob extra if one didn't take proper care of them. Things would come out, time and time again.
Elizabeth had even mentioned the Prince being very alert to this possibility.
And wanton fornication, it was just so...debasing, especially for the young ladies involved. Frederick infinitely preferred professionals. Though he realised what Elizabeth and Anne, and even Georgiana, would say if he mentioned this in their presence, he could not help himself: whilst he had lost very little respect for his college friends due to their eagerness for baser entertainments, he valued his new lady friends ever so much more for being faithful to their own partners. If they would spread their favours he'd respect them less, which was a heinous thing to think when he was committing an even worse sin himself.
But wouldn't he be disappointed in Darcy and Eric as well if they were to be unfaithful? And even Nick, despite his past, had gained Frederick's approval mostly through his dedication to Anne. Maybe he wasn't as much of a hypocrite as he thought. Still, only a lady involved such debauchery could pay the ultimate price, to bear a child out of wedlock, or to a man she was not wedded to.
Still sitting on his church bench, though a comfortable one in the Darcy's private pew, he found himself glad after all that Elizabeth had not fallen for the Prince's charms. And he also hoped the older couple would forget about her, and about Eric's music, sooner rather than later, so none of their own party would be tempted to join those goings-on at Carlton House or some other town house or estate where the Prince's friends or confidants gathered.
Driving through the countryside with their party divided between their own carriage and Manners', Darcy discovered Saturday's events were very easily forgotten. Though not as intimate as travelling by themselves, sharing a carriage was entertaining in many other ways. They mostly had Georgie and Fielding riding with them, but at the end of the first day of travel Anne had asked to join them, and of course Nick Fowler came with her, the other couple enjoying a few hours with Simon and Manners.
The only personal staff they had left among them were the two ladies' maids, Fanny of course choosing to sit with her husband and Dora preferring to squeeze in beside them over riding with Manners' driver on a much larger box seat. Darcy wasn't surprised, he could not approve of such a young girl sitting unchaperoned with a man like Bates, it just didn't feel right. Of course he knew Dora was not a lady, but she was kind and well mannered and she deserved to be protected from the sort of man Bates was reputed to be.
Though he didn't cause any trouble among Darcy's London staff, neither Simon nor Mrs Annesley had been able to recommend his behaviour when asked for their opinion, and Darcy didn't need to ask anyone's opinion to know the girl shouldn't travel with Hugo either.
The Pemberley stablemaster was leaving the next day with a team of hired horses to return Darcy's ornate carriage to Pemberley, where it would most likely be stored in one of the large barns. It was taking up too much space in town, the slow team had their own carriage, which was much more suitable for a busy town with narrow streets. Daisy and Darcy's black would accompany Hugo, but Darcy did not want to rely on whatever help Hugo had hired for the trip to keep Dora safe. Two men and one shy maiden would be even worse than Dora sitting on the box with Bates. Fanny and Bob would have a whole week to themselves once at Pemberley, as long as they were travelling they would make Dora feel welcome by day and enjoy their time together at night.
During the course of their four-day journey it was as if Nick Fowler was starting to change. By the time they neared Pemberley it happened that Anne and her guard were sitting opposite Elizabeth and himself, trying very hard not to touch each other and succeeding admirably.
Fowler's usual servility seemed much diminished, he was describing a scene from his youth in London, proving himself a talented storyteller. Darcy had no trouble imagining a serious boy of about fourteen learning how to defend himself and his younger siblings from local bullies. He did wonder why
Fowler's parents never intervened when their son started to sneak out at night, to join his older friends from next door in their excursions to make themselves some easy money. They probably never knew what their son was doing.
'When I realised they were breaking into homes it was too late to go back on my promise to help, they had told me too much to just let me return to being the neighbours' kid. Fortunately they let me stand watch, of course it would have gotten me hanged if I'd been caught, but they were always careful, staking out a shop until the owners left for the night, or breaking into a rich home when the people had fled the city in the heat of summer. I think they eventually ran afoul of a rivalling gang or the watch nonetheless, for one day they were gone from the house, fled or caught I still don't know. But I decided there and then to end my career in crime and find myself a proper job with the skills they'd taught me. Even at that age I realised I could protect things from the likes of me as well as risk my neck stealing them.'
Elizabeth loved it. She always loved hearing people's stories, and Fowler was from an almost opposite walk of life than herself, being a city boy from very humble origins. He was a charmer, though, and totally devoted to Anne.
'Is it my imagination, Nick, or do you talk differently?'
His beloved was perceptive, more so than anyone else. Nick's thick London accent was indeed lessening. She even managed to keep from sounding condescending towards him, which was a miracle since the burly guard seemed almost proud of his background.
And indeed, instead of being insulted the fellow beamed at Elizabeth and said, 'Thank you for noticing, Mrs Darcy! Anne and the others have been working on my accent, I'm glad our hard work is paying off. I've been liv
ing among a different class for years now, I know what it's supposed to sound like. But it's da...pretty difficult to keep up. Not just the accent, but avoiding certain words and expressions and finding different ways to say things.'
Darcy couldn't help laughing at Nick's near blunder, but even as a common servant he would have had to adapt at Pemberley, Mrs Reynolds would never tolerate such language in her household.
'It'll become easier at Pemberley, Fowler. No-one will have a London accent, and you'll rarely hear those expressions you are trying to avoid using.'
His courage had also risen, before their trip being addressed by Darcy would have silenced the fellow instantly, would almost have caused him to hide behind Anne's slender shape. But not anymore. An overacted difficult look
was replaced by a genuine smile, transforming the burly guard's plain face to something approaching attractive. Even to Darcy, who still considered him decidedly beneath Anne, and not just because of his birth.
'I never considered that. I'm glad you told me, Mr Darcy, or I might have started off on the wrong foot entirely. I'm Mr Manners' servant, of course, so they cannot hurt me, but being warned is better than trying to make up for a bad start.'
Now Darcy heard his own reply sounding deadly serious, a bit too much so, maybe, since he knew how well Fowler could defend himself. They had recently heard every detail of his education on the streets of London after all, Fowler was not in any danger, if anyone had to be careful it was any member of the local staff trying to prove himself tougher than the London servant.
'You may have heard stories of bullying among my staff, Fowler, and I know you've been the victim of worse, but please do not think I tolerate anything of the kind. As soon as I found out I took measures, and my staff at Pemberley have always been above suspicion.'
Well, except Bruce, but he seemed suitably chastened and besides, Fowler could teach the young pup a thing or two about fighting.
'If anyone bothers you, do not hesitate to speak to me in person. No-one should live in fear of another human being.'
Pemberley Page 1
