Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (70 page)

Mr. Bennet took in Darcy’s stiff bearing and already knew how the conversation would proceed.  “I have spoken to her.  She will not be permitted to go to Netherfield without a specific invitation.  I could not correct her misconception over Elizabeth’s condition without announcing the news of the pregnancy.  I do not believe she was intentionally . . .”

“No.”  Darcy interrupted.  “No.  I understand Elizabeth trying to excuse her mother, giving her license to continually treat her terribly because she will always hope to somehow win her approval.  I imagine you live under the same delusion, wanting your wife to treat your declared favourite equally to Jane, but I am blessed with being an outsider.  I see clearly that your wife deliberately hurts mine and fortunately I have the power to do something about it.  Elizabeth will not visit Longbourn again so long as Mrs. Bennet lives.  Our daughter and any other children we have will not visit Longbourn, nor will she ever be invited to stay at our homes.  Mrs. Bennet has been chastised, set down, punished and corrected; time and again.  Perhaps she has improved, perhaps on some level she believes that she is being helpful, but without fail, my Elizabeth is the one who is left exhausted and hurting.  No more.  I put an end to it today.”

“That is your right as her husband.”  Mr. Bennet said softly.  “May I still see my daughter and granddaughter, sir?  Am I still permitted in your homes?”

“I have no quarrel with you other than disappointment for the household you allowed to thrive.”  Darcy made note of the man’s relief and marked that reaction in his favour.  “Elizabeth and I have considered over the past weeks what would have happened if we had not met until now, how altered we would have been and if we would have been able to overcome the differences.  We decided that it was an exercise that proved good only because we do recognize how much better we are now than we would have been.  I could propose the same for you, what if you had behaved as the head of your house long ago, who would your wife and daughters have been?  Again, a pointless exercise, but perhaps one that will make you appreciate the strides your children have made, despite your mistakes.”  Darcy shook his head.  “We will undoubtedly meet at some neighbour’s home while we remain.  I will take care to limit Elizabeth’s exposure to Mrs. Bennet when we do.”

“And what of Kitty?”

“She is your daughter, sir.  Not mine.  She is welcome to visit Elizabeth and Rosalie at any time.  Mrs. Annesley is my servant, and answers to me, not you or Mrs. Bennet.  However if you do not want her in your home, tell me now.”  Darcy watched him.  “By your silence I presume that you want her to remain?  I will gladly remove Catherine from Longbourn the moment she feels that she needs to go, but of course, she is not the subject of your wife’s hate, is she?”

“No.  No, she is not.”  Mr. Bennet sighed.  “Very well, sir.”

A distant shout attracted their attention and Darcy waved to Bingley and Hurst.  He started to turn his horse and paused.  “What are you doing to aid the Lucas’ with the cottage?”

“I am going to try and pay for some of the repairs, my steward is still calculating our profits for the growing season.” 

“I see.”  Darcy turned the horse and looked back at Mr. Bennet.  “Good day, sir.”

“Good day.”  Watching Darcy ride off, Mr. Bennet turned his own horse and headed back to Longbourn.  Saddened, but almost relieved that the break had at last been made.  “I suppose that you are correct, Darcy.  Lizzy and I were too close to it to see the truth for what it is.” 

“WHAT A MESS.”  Hurst looked over the cottage.  “Is  anyone helping him?”

“I do not believe so.  Mr. Bennet presented it to him, and he talks of contributing a little money, but then that is where he excels, in talking.”  Darcy spoke bitterly and jumped down from his horse to tie off the reins.  Bingley and Hurst glanced at each other and imitated him.  “It is not a bad structure.”  He took a calming breath and rubbed his forehead while looking up to the new roof, and then walked the perimeter of the home.  “It is not tiny either; the front is deceiving, look at how far it extends back here.”  Disappearing around a corner, he ran his hand along the wall as he walked and paused to investigate the windows.  “At least all the glass is intact.”

“Can we enter?”  Bingley cupped his hands to his face and peered inside.  

Hurst opened a door and smiled.  “It seems so.”  The three trooped in and Darcy puffed his cheeks and blew out the air.  Hurst groaned.

Bingley shook his head and pulled up a stray weed.  “Well, I do not see Mrs. Darcy permitting Rosalie on this floor, and I certainly cannot envision Mrs. Lucas allowing her infant here, either.  You might as well spread straw and board the horses here!”

“There is a stack of flagstone right there, Bingley.”  Darcy walked over to examine it.  “I can imagine that he will lay wood on top.”  He examined the fireplace, then walked on to inspect the kitchen.  Continuing upstairs, he found peeling wallpaper, falling plaster, but it was not impossible.  “I will help him.” 

“How?”  Hurst climbed the steps and joined him walking from room to room.  “He will not accept monetary aid from you, didn’t he refuse your offer to augment Mrs. Lucas’ dowry?”

“Yes.  But until his tenants are free to aid him, he is on his own.  Even with his brothers removed from Lucas Lodge, he is under his parents’ roof and not autonomous, he needs to be here, I think.”

“Why do you think that I remain in town most of the year?”  Hurst laughed.  “Well, if he will not accept money, would he accept your finding him workmen?”

“I somehow doubt it.  Pride is very much part of this, pride for a house that he will never own.  No.  The roof was something he could not do, perhaps not the plaster, or the paper either, but painting, that stone floor . . .”

“I helped lay a floor.”  Bingley stepped over a pile of broken furniture and strolled around the room.  “My father sent me off to a cousin’s home one summer, and they were building a new milking shed.”  He shrugged.  “They put a stone floor down and I was set to work.” 

“Was it difficult?”  Darcy asked.

“No, exhausting, but it was like a big puzzle.”  Bingley grinned.  “Besides if they are laying wood over top, nobody will see how badly you matched the stones.”

“Good point.”  Hurst chuckled and tilted his head at Darcy.  “What are you thinking?”

“I am thinking that you should invite another guest to Netherfield, Bingley, perhaps two.”

“Oh?”  Bingley folded his arms and leaned against a wall.  “Who?”

“De Bourgh and De Bourgh.”

“That sounds like a law firm.”  Bingley laughed.  “So, you think that Lucas’s and your brothers would be willing to help?” 

“They could travel together, Mrs. Michael de Bourgh could visit her parents, Mrs. Peter de Bourgh would get to see almost all of her sisters, I heard a rumour of an assembly in a week or so from my dear wife who is quite anxious to dance with me.  What say we pitch in to help Lucas?  He cannot deny the honest aid of his brothers can he?  No pride to be hurt there.  If Robinson comes, we can set him to work as well, who knows, he might actually know what he is doing.”  Darcy raised his brow and grinned.  “We will get our hands dirty for a change!”

“Inept hands!”  Hurst sighed.  “I do not know, Darcy . . .”

“Tell me Hurst, has Mrs. Hurst ever seen you after a day spent at exercise?  Fencing, riding, whatever?”

“Well, hunting . . .”

“How did she look at you?”  Darcy tilted his head.

A slow grin spread over his lips.  “I think that she rather liked it.”

“And we would be serving another . . .”

“Oh good works and all.”  Bingley smiled.  “What is my motivation?”

“You will be Lucas’s neighbour.” 

“Not nearly as exciting as having an admiring lady to greet my triumphant sweaty return.”  Bingley sighed and pulled out his watch.  “Well, I think that Mrs. Darcy’s none-too-subtle plan for you to keep me occupied this morning has been fulfilled. Let us return to Netherfield, I will write to the de Bourghs and hopefully . . .”

“Someone will be at the house who just might admire your face flushed with the exercise of riding.”  Darcy grinned.    “So Elizabeth did not fool you?”

“In a word, no.”  They laughed and walked down the stairs and outside.

Darcy secured the door and looked at the house once more before climbing up onto his horse.  “I suppose that we should tell Lucas the plan?”

“Noooo.”  Hurst grinned.  “Spring it on him, then he cannot say no.” 

“I like that.”  Darcy smiled and started off towards Netherfield.  “You are devious, Hurst.”

“I do what I can.” 

“HAVE YOU VISITED NETHERFIELD before, Mrs. Long?”  Elizabeth offered her a plate of biscuits while Louisa poured the tea.  “There have been so many occupants over the years; I imagine one or another might have held an event that included the neighbourhood.  I am afraid that by the time I was old enough to attend something, I was also gone.”

“No.”  She dragged her eyes from their steady examination of Elizabeth and moved them around the beautifully decorated sitting room.  “My husband has participated in a few hunting parties, but no occupant has ever extended us an invitation to dinner.   Has your mother ever been asked?”  She asked casually.

“No, she has not.”  Elizabeth smiled and looked at Jane.  “I am certain we would have been told.”

“I am sure of that.”  Jane smiled.  “It seems that most occupants kept to themselves or were men living here for the game and not entertaining, or only visited friends in similar homes.” 

“Similar circumstances, you mean.  That group that was here last year was all men and they enjoyed the homes of the neighbourhood, but only invited men to visit here.”  Mrs. Long noted and returned her gaze to Elizabeth.  “My daughter has yet to stop talking about her visit to Pemberley.  I had begun to wonder if indeed her effusions were truthful.  I found it incredible that she was welcomed so cordially.”

“Why would I not welcome her?”  Elizabeth smiled.  “We certainly were acquainted, and offering tea was no hardship.  She received a tour of the home just as countless other visitors to Derbyshire have.  My housekeeper is well-accustomed to visitors coming through.  We simply happened to be home and we were glad to spend a half-hour in their company.  We were very glad to meet Miss Martin.”

“But you generally do not greet visitors yourself.” 

“No.”  She agreed.  “Mrs. Long, would you have preferred that I ignore your daughter and niece?”

Colouring, she looked at her cup.  “No, no, of course not.  Forgive me Mrs. Darcy, I have seen next to nothing of you for years and it still amazes me how well you married and how changed you are.  To see you now I would swear that you were raised in a home such as this and schooled by the most excellent governess.  You project a much different countenance than I would expect.” 

“I have benefitted from education by my husband’s family.”

“I hope that whoever my niece marries will make allowances for her upbringing as well.”  Jane and Elizabeth exchanged looks and knew that Mrs. Bennet was the unspoken subject.

Elizabeth looked over to Abbey talking animatedly to Louisa. “There is nothing wanting in it, she attended the same school as Mrs. Hurst.  Do not discount your niece’s abilities simply because they have not been tested.”

“I know nothing of my nieces’ heart.  She does not share it with anyone.”

“Of course not, to give voice to her hope would make the pain of it not being realized all the greater should that happen.”  Elizabeth nodded.  “I can understand that very well.”

Noticing the attention, Abbey looked up.  “Aunt, I hope that you are not quizzing Mrs. Darcy about Pemberley.  My cousin, Mrs. Wilcox, talks about her visit like it was the highlight of her life, Mrs. Darcy.”

“Oh I hope not!”  Elizabeth laughed.  “Surely her wedding was far more significant!” 

“Any girl can have a wedding!  But to visit Pemberley . . .”  Abbey laughed and waved her hand in the air.  “Well, that is something!” 

“Oh dear, how can I agree without appearing ungracious?  I know; I will change the subject!”  Smiling, she sat forward.  “I have to thank you again for all of the sewing you have done, I am afraid that my productivity has lessened considerably with the warm weather, there are just too many things to do.  I will do better this winter when having fabric draped over me will be a blessing.  As lovely as Pemberley is, it is also a challenge to heat!” 

Abbey bit her lip and glanced at Louisa.  “I am glad to do it.  Mrs. Hurst mentioned that Mr. Bingley has donated a large quantity of fabric for your tenants to sew clothes?”

“I certainly did.”  Bingley entered the room with a wide smile.  “Good morning ladies!”   Following him, Darcy and Hurst looked with amusement to their wives.  “Mrs. Long, it is good to see you again.”  He bowed and upon rising, walked to Abbey.  “Miss Martin.”  His smile glowed.  “You are here.”

“I am.”  She laughed and his face lit up.  “I am no figment of your imagination.”

“I am delighted to know it.”  He took her hand and bowed over it.  “My imagination has been quite exhausted with . . . imagery.”  Darcy coughed and Bingley blushed.  “Forgive me . . . forgive my attire, I am afraid that we have only just returned from an . . . what was it you said, Darcy?”

“A most invigorating ride.”  He walked over to Elizabeth and took her hand, pausing to bow to Mrs. Long as he passed. 

“Your face is flushed handsomely, Husband.”  Elizabeth looked him over appreciatively.  Darcy smiled softly when he bent to kiss her fingers. 

“I am glad that you think so, dearest.” 

“Yes.”  Bingley continued.  “And when we heard that there were guests, we rushed to change our clothes.  Forgive me if anything is askew.”

“Only your head.”  Darcy whispered so only Elizabeth heard.  She pinched him and he flinched, tweaking her in return.

Hurst noticed Louisa staring at him and blushing, he stood straightened and cleared his throat.  “Ahem, yes, I think it is an exercise we must enjoy more often.”

“Definitely, Mr. Hurst.”  Louisa said softly and he shuffled his feet.

Jane raised her hand to her mouth to cover a laugh and caught Mrs. Long’s eye.  “Oh dear.”