Pemberley

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  Mr Manners' valet? You must know him well.'

  She sighed deeply and muttered, 'He is so beautiful, and so kind. He thanked me for the soup, yesterday evening. My heart just stopped.'

  So much for girls falling for Nick! Apparently he was only useful to solve problems, whereas Simon was to be mooned over. Well, let them moon over Mr Manners' beautiful valet, Nick and he were equally unavailable, and yet they would both have to maintain their reputation as flirts to avoid speculations over their true loves. There was no way Nick could seduce any of the ladies present, so maybe he would have to size down to maids. But then again, he had promised Mrs Eliot he wouldn't even think about it. Oh well, Simon would know a solution, he had played this game for years. Nick would have to face Dora and tell her not to make herself unhappy over him,

  but to let him teach her to read and write well, then send a letter to a certain Frank in Kent.

  As Pauline left to resume her duties in the house and the kitchen, Nick welcomed Simon to his table and poured coffee for him.

  'Was it as good for you?'

  'Yes, Simon, it was just perfect. No sneaking about, no waking at dawn, just total bliss.'

  Simon nodded, and added, 'I can even stick around, help Frederick dress and do his hair, then leave the room together. No-one will think anything of it.

  No-one will even see, the maids come in at noon to change water, sweep the hearths and lay fires and remove the laundry and the waste. Then they go back downstairs.'

  But all was not well in paradise, and Nick looked his question at Simon's sudden frown.

  'It's just that, well, Frederick has a date in mind that he will propose to Anne, for the wedding. It's pretty soon, and he will refrain from festivities, but still...'

  'We'll manage, Simon, really. I never expected to find love, and I bet you never did either. So it's not all roses, but it's so much more than I ever hoped to have.'

  'You are right, we'll make the most of it. Rub it in mercilessly until they feel so guilty they'll do anything for us.'

  'Or relish the love between them, and our friendship, for that makes this more than an ordinary marriage.'

  'We might do that, too. Though I still prefer my option, Frederick himself wouldn't hesitate to follow up on any advantage....'

  'You are so right, well, playing on guilt it is. I'll think of something I want.

  Have you seen Dora? I wanted to talk to her but I cannot find her.'

  'I think she is helping the lady housekeepers with some embroidery or something. Apparently they cannot see everything as clearly as they used to, and Dora is pretty handy with a needle and thread.'

  'I never knew that, I never saw her set a single stitch.'

  'She says she hasn't the patience to finish a whole piece, but she made Mrs Reynolds very happy. I suppose she will be back here any moment now, looking for a glimpse of you.'

  Nick told him about the other maid, and Simon looked thoughtful.

  'There is no female company to suit our reputation out here, I've always

  pretended to do without while at Pemberley. I think Hugo does without until he has leave in town. So you can just continue your 'I don't do that within my own household' routine. I'll do the same. Hugo will return in a few days and he'll spread our fame along with his own.'

  Hugo, of course! He'd brag and try to include Simon and Nick in his stories.

  Good. One possible problem taken care of. They finished their breakfast, and as Simon got up to leave, Nick asked, 'Can you tell Anne I have a little problem to solve right here? I need to know that Dora is all right, I haven't seen her since our arrival. And once I know she is, I'll have to crush her heart, dammit. And tell Mrs Eliot that her hired maid has an unsophisticated view of men that may get her in trouble.'

  'Which maid did you say it was?'

  'Her name is Pauline, she's young, attractive, and ready to fall in love with your handsome face. You thanked her for the soup yesterday evening.'

  Simon's face touched his palm for a few seconds, then he looked up and groaned.

  'When will I learn not to thank young maidens for a bowl of soup? Never mind, I'll be cold and arrogant tonight, nip this in the bud. Can't trust a valet, you know.'

  Simon left, head still shaking, and within ten minutes Dora came into the common-room, her face lighting up when she saw Nick.

  'Nick! You're here! I've missed you so much!'

  She tried to embrace him but he couldn't let her, he had warned her, she knew he loved another, and before that he'd loved anything with a skirt, he had not given her a single reason to fall in love with him. Her face fell at his cold reaction, heartbreaking to see but it had to be done.

  'We need to talk, Dora.'

  Despite the kind tone she almost started crying, she knew, she just couldn't help herself.

  'Dora, why? I warned you, didn't I?'

  Now she was crying, but he couldn't comfort her, it would give her hope and cause her to keep an eye on him all the time.

  'I know, you warned me, not just once, but twice. And the mistress warned me, again, said you and Simon would never be true to a girl like Bob is. But you're so nice, and strong, and everything I wanted in a man. I'm sorry, Nick, I didn't choose to fall in love with you, you know, it just happened. No-one ever notices me, just you.'

  He had to try, though he knew what she would say.

  'That is not true, Dora, I remember someone who was very obviously in love with you, maybe not a slightly dangerous older man like me, or a sophisticated beautiful man like Simon, more like a faithful Bob. Kind, and observant. More handsome than Bob I guess.'

  That pulled her out of her misery for a few moments, and she looked at Nick with a question in her eyes.

  'Someone is in love with me? Really?'

  'Yes, at Rosings, Frank. Remember him? Tall fellow, very sensible, missed you a lot?'

  'Frank? You think he is in love with me? But he treats me like his sister, he never said a thing.'

  Slightly better than Nick expected.

  'And he is a boy, not a man.'

  Or maybe not.

  'He is as much a man as you are a woman, Dora, you're both very young. He led me back to the parsonage, then pleaded me not to harm his mistress or Hughes, since they were both getting on a bit.'

  'That is so like Frank. So you say he is in love with me? Did he tell you?'

  'We only met for twenty minutes, Dora. But it showed, he was so glad to see you. I bet he was devastated when you left. Think, Dora, what he talked about when I had left, and how he looked at you. Am I right?'

  She took her time, Nick had expected her to just call him a boy and ignore him, but she seemed to take Nick's words seriously.

  'I think you're right, he did show all of the signs, didn't he? And he begged me to write, except I couldn't promise because, you know. He mentioned you and me being so close, do you think he knows? You think he was jealous of you? It could very well have been, though he was very respectful of you.'

  'I wouldn't be surprised if he suspected, he seemed very astute. I will help you to improve your writing starting tomorrow, Dora. Mr Manners and Miss de Bourgh will agree, and they will not blame you for never having learned. You cannot help it, you never had the chance. And I'll help you write your letters to Frank, and to read his replies, until you can read and write them all by yourself. Because I will always be your friend, Dora, and I want you to be happy.'

  'But I want to become a lady's maid, and live in town.'

  'Well, you'll just be writing to him, nothing more, nothing less. See what

  happens. If you find you can love him, you can always decide then. He will be so happy to hear from you, and it will give you someone to think about.

  Just after lunch tomorrow? Right here?'

  'I'd rather not have anyone see me struggling. Can't we go somewhere private?'

  Nick looked at her intensely.

  'You do not want to be alone with me. I understand. Right here it is then, and
I'm still very sorry. Can you ask Miss de Bourgh whether she'll see me for a few minutes? I can brush her hair, and keep her dresses from wrinkling. I cannot sit here and do nothing, Nick, it makes me miserable.'

  'You always found something to do at Mr Darcy's town house, and I'm sure you'll make yourself indispensable here. Give it a little time, Dora. But I will talk to Miss de Bourgh. Gossip says she'll soon get married, she'll need you to help her dress and do her hair. And we'll still be friends, Dora, and Simon likes you. And next week Fanny will be back to work and you can talk or work together. Don't worry, everything will be just fine.'

  And it would be, even if Nick had to make it so all by himself. Fortunately, Dora had not mentioned Nick's love for her mistress, for which Nick was grateful. Hopefully she had forgotten all about it, though that was most likely wishful thinking on his part.

  After Elizabeth's bath and the inevitable consequences it was time for lunch, and then Elizabeth said she meant to get to know Mrs Eliot a little better, and see how things were going in the back of the house.

  'Mrs Reynolds and I still have the tour of the house to plan, remember? And I want everyone to know I am aware of the work they do day in, day out. Not just the housekeeper and the cook, but also the maids and the kitchen helpers.

  We'll see plenty of the gardeners and the stable staff, but house staff want some recognition, too.'

  Showing his approval, Darcy decided his duties as a landlord were also due some attention, so he sent for his steward and then spent some time catching up on his mail. Letters of business went to the pile he'd discuss with Nathan, and soon he came across a thick epistle from Colonel Drummond, the letter he had expected and was looking forward to reading.

  That kind man indeed described how his wife had changed their entire drawing-room into a fantastic image of her family's past. Persian rugs, flimsy exotic fabrics and intricately carved hardwood furniture now reigned supreme, perfected with glass versions of everything. Vases, lamp shades, a chandelier, apparently everything could be made of glass in Newcastle, and Mrs Drummond had bought it all.

  But to be honest, it looks amazing, and it makes Penelope very happy. I have kept my promise to stay away from her pristine part of the moors, except when we go there together, of course. We only ride, not hunt, and I leave my hounds at the manor. Penelope is doing really well riding astride, the side-saddle hasn't been used much since she set aside her feelings of shame and just tried. Except this once, when I set aside my own feelings of shame and tried Bernice with the lady's saddle in the riding paddock, just to know what it felt like. And to call your bluff, Darcy. Have you tried already?

  I dared young Daniel to try it as well, and he did, as did Williams. That man is a hero and a perfect choice for a stable master, and about to be married according to Penelope. We all looked a little white around the nose afterwards, but no-one laughed at us and Kendrick didn't comment, he only looked sour. He does that a lot these days, he knows his promotion was in fact a punishment.

  The stable hands are back into the servants' quarters of the main house, and the extra common-room in the stables is being made over to accommodate the new horses. Though we decided to change the stables' set-up altogether and make more use of paddocks such as Mr Miller has, it warms my heart to see the horses standing together, grooming each other, running, rolling in the dust, and sharing their meals like friends.

  Bucephalus is doing well with the new mares, and Mr Miller will take him

  when those are all in foal. Cavort is now living with us and has bred the hunter mares that were not yet in foal from last summer. That is all we can do for the Drummond hunter this year, except for that young scamp Daniel who is working himself to a thread keeping Bucephalus fit and training Cavort and two hunter geldings I plan to sell to make room for Penelope's new hunters. She wants to join the hunt this fall and her mares are too old for that. She is absolutely fearless astride, your lady saw much clearer than I did, and not just in the case of Penelope's riding: Williams has made our stables a much better place for staff but also for Penelope herself.

  I hope I will be able to join her in the hunt, things are heating up abroad, your brother-in-law's regiment is leaving for Kent within the month for specialist training, and from there to Spain. Please let that go no further than you and Mrs Darcy until you hear from Lieutenant Wickham himself.

  Penelope has good hopes I will be spared another tour of duty on the mainland on account of my age, but I feel less than sure about that. I will have to see to believe. But since I wouldn't be in the thick of the fighting anyway, until then I'll worry more for those who will be in the line of fire, like Lieutenant Wickham and the other rifles. Your brother-in-law has been commended several times by his new superior, I am glad I allowed him entrance to the Rifle Corps and had him promoted, he has proven altogether worthy of the faith bestowed upon him. Despite your differences, I hope you will be able to enjoy the knowledge that you made it possible for him to improve himself. His removal to Kent will no longer endanger him with regards to his weaknesses, I think, it seems he has embraced the life of an officer, and I have heard his wife is expecting so all must be well with your wife's sister, too.

  Wickham a valued officer? Colonel Drummond certainly rated a man on his aptitude, not his past. And apparently Wickham was an excellent soldier indeed. Maybe Darcy should leave the past where it belonged, far behind him, but it was difficult to do when the man in question still seemed determined to get at his beloved. Elizabeth still hadn't told him what had happened between them and he hadn't asked, finally having learned that some things were better left alone. Georgiana barely remembered what Wickham had done to her, and Hertfordshire remembered his debts and his lies, the ones about Darcy he'd been eager to tell to everyone willing to hear now undoubtedly exposed as well. Was there still a need to hate the man so fervently? Shouldn't Darcy just get over it and just think of him as another

  brother-in-law? Or a brother, part of his mind insinuated. But there was other news in the letter that was of more moment. Lydia was with child again already? That might hurt Elizabeth to hear, but he would tell her anyway.

  There was no reason at all to assume she wouldn't be expecting a child herself in a few months or maybe a year, and though somehow it was still a very sensitive subject she would want to know about her sister as soon as possible.

  At least the Colonel had decided in favour of Cavort and to have Mr Miller and Mr Smith involved in the Drummond hunter, that was an excellent decision since those two men were true experts on the subject of horses, and they would have the right contacts to find new lines of well-tempered stock for the future.

  The rest of the letter contained some news on the Kembles, the state of the camp in general, and warm greetings to Mrs Darcy, also from Mrs Drummond. Darcy decided to wait a few days writing his reply, to be able to give a full account of Elizabeth's first rides into the countryside, and her first lessons in taking obstacles. That would also give him a few days to gather courage to ride the side-saddle, maybe he could raise the stakes by trying it on his own black instead of Daisy. Or maybe not.

  A knock on the door announced his steward, and before they continued to business matters, Darcy obtained leave to visit and search their attic for possessions of the past inhabitants.

  'I think there were a few boxes with old stuff, and since we didn't need the space we just pushed them into a corner in case someone would want them. If anyone, I'd expected Mr Wickham to come for them, not you, Mr Darcy. But you are welcome to them.'

  'He is Lieutenant Wickham now, Nathan, and I guess he will not be returning for keepsakes of his parents. The Rifle Corps is serious business. Still, they're very happy with him, I suppose there is a place for everyone in this large and beautiful country.'

  'Amen to that, sir. I'm just glad not to be living in France right now.'

  And with that truth they turned to the business ahead, schemes of crop rotation and planting, letters to and from suppliers, transporters
, buyers, a plea for help from a tenant's wife over her husband's prolonged illness, all of which Nathan had already replied to or acted on, Darcy's task was merely to keep track of everything and make some final decisions that had been waiting for his arrival.

  Two hours saw their business concluded, after which Darcy joined his sister and her fellow-explorers, finding Elizabeth among them once more, eager to greet him with a hug and a kiss.

  Chapter 5

  After a warm embrace and kiss, Fitzwilliam wanted to know how Elizabeth's meeting with Mrs Reynolds had been.

  'It was as if we never left, my love, really. Except for Mrs Eliot's presence, and a few extra maids to help prepare for our visitors, everything was just as it had been. Mrs Eliot is very nice, very effective. I suppose she wasn't raised to be a drawing-room ornament, you know she is ten years Mrs Reynolds'

  senior but she doesn't show her age at all. They're very good friends.

  Anyway, we talked a little with the staff, new and old, and then we made a plan for the tour. That reminds me, we need to send word to Mrs Annesley about the centrepiece for the dining room. Seeing it again I think I know which one I'd like, and Mrs Reynolds agrees, but the final decision should be yours, it's your ancestral home after all.'

  By now they were back in the attic, and this time, Eric offered to mind the lamps.

  'I've seen my share of old stuff for today, Elizabeth, please take my place for a few hours. This is a magnificent place to order my thoughts, I won't be bored.'

  He was almost back to his own self, a few days of quiet travel and the solicitude of Pemberley had worked wonders already after the adulation of his fans and the constant badgering by the reporters, but...

  'Aren't you a bit sorry you didn't choose to go to a nice little guesthouse for your honeymoon? I mean, you're still beset by us, instead of having some time all by yourselves.'

  'With you I can be very frank, Elizabeth, and tell you that in fact I'm glad to be here, too few people around would be as much of a shock as too many.