Imperative: Volume 2, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (54 page)

“She is blossomed?”  The cook asked sagely.

“Very much, so.  There is no trace of a little girl there anymore.  She is quite womanly.  You will see when she returns.”

“And she will have a new companion as well, and then leave for London.”

Evans grinned.  “Mr. Darcy is clearing the house.” 

“He is not ridding himself of his sister.”  Parker said sharply.

“But if he is going to continue with the plans he clearly has for his wife, he will want to do it without his sister in the vicinity.  Imagine my surprise to open the front door and find the two of them engaged in . . .
camaraderie
on the front step!”

Mrs. Reynolds leaned forward.  “Is Mrs. Darcy with child, Judy? Do you know?” 

“No.  Not yet.”  She looked at Parker and he nodded.  “However, the Harding Darcys have a new baby.” 

Silence fell over the room. 

“But how?”

“A friend in Scotland asked them to take his newborn after his wife died.  Just for a little while, until he is back on his feet.”  

“One of those.”  Mrs. Johns tsked.  “Mrs. Darcy has a soft heart.  I bet that she will wind up raising it.  A natural child.”

“She is an orphan, not a bastard.”  Parker spoke up.  “Entirely legitimate.” 

“But abandoned.”  Evans nodded thoughtfully. 

“But saved.”  Parker noted.

“Has she a name?”  Mrs. Reynolds asked.

“Hope.”  Judy smiled.

“Well that is appropriate, I must say.”  Mrs. Johns nodded.  “That woman deserves a chance to raise a child after all she suffered.”

A bell on the wall rang and they all looked up.  “The library.”  Evans noted.  “That is mine.”  He got up and nodded to the rest.  “I suspect it is the master telling us to retire for the night.  He is always good about that sort of thing.” 

Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Johns rose with them.  “No more lazing about in bed with them home.”

“We were hardly sleeping until noon.” 

The older women went on their way and the young maids quickly appeared to clear away the table.  Parker and Judy were left alone before very long.  “Are you glad to be home?”  He tilted his head and smiled.

“Yes and no.” 

“I feel the same way.”  He looked down at his hands.  “I stopped outside of your door last night.”  Judy’s eyes widened.  “I thought to see if you were comfortable, but . . .”

“I . . . I would have liked that.” 

“Would you have asked me in?”  He looked back up and saw the look in her eyes.  “Forgive me for pressing.  It was uncivil.” 

“You were not at all.”

“Thank you for that.”  He smiled and looked up when Evans appeared.  “Well?”

“Dismissed for the night.  I sent Jacob around to extinguish the candles.  The Darcys ask not to be disturbed.  And they will address their own preparations for sleep so you two are finished for the day as well.”  Chuckling, he held onto the back of a chair.  “What do you say to a few rounds of vingt-un Parker?”

Parker smiled at Judy and nodded.  “Why not?” 

“I will retire.”  She stood and looked at him.  “Good night.” 

“Good night, Judy.”  The men said together.  Evans went to a drawer to retrieve the cards and Parker stood to refill their glasses with ale. 

“Sweet girl.”  Evans said softly as he watched Parker move around.  “Be careful.  If I can see it . . .”

“Mr. Darcy knows, Evans.  And I have not so much as held her hand.”  He raised his brows.  “Anything else?”

Evans held up his hand and smiled.  “Not a thing.  It is good to have you home.” 

Parker took a drink and listened to Judy taking the steps up to her room.  “Yes and no.” 

“MRS. REYNOLDS.”  Darcy frowned and called again.  His deep voice echoed off the marble in the great foyer.  “Mrs. Reynolds!” 

“Yes, sir?”  She bustled up to him and looked at the black wreath he held in his hands.

“What is this?”

“A mourning wreath, sir.  For Mrs. Darcy’s father.”

“Who ordered it to be hung?”

“Nobody, sir, I just assumed . . . well, it is for her father, sir.”  She was entirely unsure what was wrong.  “Mr. Barnes told us the news and of course Pemberley would honour the mistress’s father.” 

“Mr. Barnes?”  Darcy’s gaze travelled to her.  “How did he know?”

“I believe that he was told by the steward at Sommerwald.  He mentioned that a wreath had been hung there, and as this is your home . . . I did not want Pemberley to be lesser than Sommerwald, Mr. Darcy. ”

“Ferguson.”  He nodded and closed his eyes as he remembered suggesting that the young man contact Barnes on some point of estate management.  “Of course.  We were surprised by the wreath appearing upon our door then, but Mrs. Shaw had very definite beliefs about observing a death.  She is quite superstitious.”

“Irish.”  Mrs. Reynolds said sagely.

“I am not certain . . .” He looked at her curiously then shaking his head, he handed her the wreath.  “Well, Mrs. Darcy has mourned long enough, Mrs. Reynolds.  As have I.”  He reached over to his arm and removed the ribbon on his sleeve.  “This is a time of new beginnings; we cannot do that mired in the past.  Do you not agree?”

“Of course, sir.”  She was confused, but nodded when he handed her the ribbon.  “It is my understanding that wreaths should only be hung at the deceased’s home, but as it was done in Scotland . . .”

“Hopefully it is not a subject that we will need to explore again for a very long time.  Please take down any other symbols of mourning.  Mr. Bennet did not expect his daughter to carry on forever with his loss, and considering his behaviour . . .” Remembering his audience, he nodded his head.  “That is all.” 

“Yes, sir.”  Mrs. Reynolds hurried off to tell the staff to take down the black ribbons around the house. 

Darcy sighed.  Mourning was decidedly not part of his plan to move ahead.  Elizabeth had made the slightest mention of the decorations the evening before, but he knew for her to say anything on the subject of her father was to speak volumes.  She had had enough of sadness too, so away it must go.  “You had your honouring Mr. Bennet, and frankly, it is more than you deserved in my opinion.”  He muttered and looked up to the top of the stairs when he heard a familiar laugh.  To his great pleasure, he saw that his suspicions were confirmed.  There was his wife, dressed beautifully in an emerald green riding habit.  His smile grew as she descended the stairs. 

“You are lovely, dear.”

“I am not in lavender.  I had no riding habit in mourning colours so . . .” She looked at him worriedly.  “Is this acceptable?  I could wear anything in Scotland, but here . . . I . . .” She looked down and smoothed her skirt.  “I want to do everything correctly.  At Pemberley, everything matters.” 

“There are no hard and fast rules to this, dearest.”  Darcy took her hand and kissed it.  “You may have noticed, I have discarded my armband.”

“Thank you.”  She smiled and asked only half-jokingly, “Do you think that Papa will haunt us?”

“I imagine he is too busy haunting Longbourn to visit us.” 

“Oh my!”  Laughing, she leaned on his shoulder as they walked to the front door.  “What will Jane say, do you think?”

“Whatever it is, I have no doubt that you can hold your own against your elder sister.  After all, you have taken on peers.”  Elizabeth looked around the foyer and Darcy stopped walking.  “What is it?  Are you nervous?”

“Unaccountably so.  There are no excuses now.”  She saw the quizzical set to his brow and reached up to stroke the wrinkles.  “There is no Georgiana to hide behind, no travel to take us from our duties here.  We are simply Mr. and Mrs. Darcy.  Newlyweds.”

“Not so newly.”  He smiled.

“No, and that means that the neighbours will give us no leeway in settling in.  They think that we have done that long ago.  I have so much to learn!” 

Darcy nodded to a footman who opened the front door for them and they strolled out into the sunshine.  “Yes, you do, but Sommerwald was not a hotel.  You were the mistress, you presided over everything, you were not making visits or meeting vast amounts of people, but you did conduct yourself without any trouble no matter the circumstances.  And they were quite trying at times, were they not?  You addressed staff troubles as handily as you took on caring for Georgiana.  I credit you for so much of her growth.  Aunt Susan was lovely and a godsend to be with her those first months after she returned home, but it was you, Elizabeth,
you
, who made the lessons of her behaviour clear to her.  If that is not the mistress of a great estate at work, I do not know who it was.  Pemberley should be a holiday in comparison.” 

“You dear man.”  She whispered and looked down. 

“Do you see what happens when I am thoroughly satiated in the morning?”  He winked as she gasped, “I am full of poetry today!”

“You are full of something!”  Laughing, she relaxed against him. 

“Do you feel better?  I cannot bear to see you doubting yourself.  I pray that I cheered you?”  His head tilted when she nodded with a smile.  “Good.”  He breathed out a great sigh.  “I am not very talented in such things.”

“Do not begin doubting yourself now, Will.”  

“If you insist.”  He pointed his chin towards the stables.  “I asked Barnes to have several suitable ponies in the paddock for you to choose from.”

“I thought that I was to ride a stallion?” 

“You did.” 

Elizabeth looked straight ahead.  “I believe that the stallion rode me.” 

Darcy’s mouth opened and closed, and then he sent her a sidelong glance.  “Then you will need to continue your lessons and take charge of him.  It takes a firm hand . . .” 

“Or a firm grip.”  She pursed her lips. 

“I am in the hands of a master.”  He threw back his head and laughed.  “Oh, what will we do when we are in company, Lizzy?” 

“I think that we will have a wonderful time teasing each other and confusing everyone else.”  She smiled as he nodded.  “So, a pony?”

“A pony.  It is safest for you, love.” 

“Thank goodness.”  Darcy smiled to see her relief and waited when he saw her lips rise up again.  “After all, I already have a stallion.”

Chapter 21

“W
hoa, settle down.”  Darcy said softly and rubbing his mount’s throat, listened to Mr. Barnes as they looked over the home farm.  The steward was showing him the work that had been completed over the past months.  Nodding, he followed the man’s pointing finger, taking note of the light green sheen of wheat just starting to rise from the earth, and the fields left in clover.  “I apologize that you had to face the tenants largely on your own.”  Darcy murmured. 

“I was simply following your orders, sir.  Everyone knew of your injuries, and none expected you to appear in person.  I think that Mrs. Darcy would have had something to say about that.”  Barnes smiled when Darcy cleared his throat and glanced at him with a slight upturn to his lips.

“Nonetheless, I have been absent for far too long and I do not intend to ever leave you in such a situation again.  I am well, and we are home to stay.”  He looked to the fields stretching out before them.  “I anticipate a great season, and I am excited for the possibilities that this new form of planting brings.  More food for the people will make them stronger and healthier, the animals will have more fodder and we can begin breeding year ‘round . . .” He shook his head.   “More bread, more wool, more meat . . . how can that be wrong?”

The weathered man nodded. “It is not the crop rotation that is causing the grumbling; I think that is just a convenient excuse to gather and air their concerns.  The workers hired by the tenants are not happy with your plans to bring in this new machinery to do the seeding and harvesting.  Now
that
is the real problem.”

Darcy’s brow creased.  “Why?   Would it not be easier on them?  Besides, it is just here on the home farm.” 

“Tell me when you haven’t introduced something here that wasn’t adopted on all of the tenant farms the next season!  You may only have been in charge for five seasons, sir, but they cottoned on pretty quickly to keep an eye on this bit of land, and when they saw the wagons delivering that contraption in March, they knew that something was in the wind.”

Darcy clasped his hands over the saddle.  “It was hardly a secret.  What is the objection?”

“Security.  You might be raising better crops and stronger animals, but if fewer people are working the fields, their family income is cut, even though yours grows.”  Barnes threw up his hands.  “I have no idea what to tell them, sir.  I am in full support of your vision, but I certainly can see their points.  Where is this all leading?  They are worried because you have been such a liberal master.  They trust you, but there was no threat like this under your father.”

“The machine was still an experiment then.  It still is now!”  He sighed, “So many things have changed since he died.  Things that never would have happened had he still been in charge.”  Darcy added softly.

“Well, perhaps that is an advantage of youth, you are ready to embrace change, but your workers are not.  They cannot help but look at the new weaving factories being built.  They might not be reading the papers, but they can surely listen to tales in the pub of machines taking people’s jobs.”

Starting from his thoughts Darcy met his man’s eye.  “Of course.  I would like to hear their concerns, and there is no time like the present.” 

Barnes stuttered, “I meant no disrespect, sir . . .  I never should question your decisions . . .”

“Of course you should, somebody should check me and on matters of the estate that is your position.”  Barnes gaped and then nodded.  “I appreciate that you feel comfortable enough to speak to me of their anxiety.  You are, after all, their conduit to me.”  Darcy gathered up his reins.  “I do not know what I can do to relieve them, though.  The preservation of my land is what will feed their families.  Times are changing and we must change with them or perish.  Lead on.” 

Barnes studied the young master and felt something was different about him.  “Yes, sir.  I think that you coming to hear them out will be a great comfort.  They will respect the gesture.”