A Woman of Influence (42 page)

I have never made such a long journey by train."

Her voice was quiet but steady, and the hand holding Becky's was warm and firm. Becky took a little time to tell Emily some details of their journey, but then, looking into her friend's eyes, she said quietly, "Emily, there is someone I wish you to meet," and turning, she beckoned to Mr Contini to come forward.

As Jessica and Julian looked on, Becky said, "Emily, this is Mr Contini, who accompanied us on our journey from Kent. He has been a friend for many years. He is a close friend of Jonathan Bingley, and his family is known also to Mr and Mrs Darcy."

As Emily smiled and extended her hand to the visitor, Becky added, "Mr Contini and I are to be married soon after Christmas."

Mr Contini had taken Emily's hand and kissed it as Becky spoke, and to the astonishment of almost everyone in the room, Emily said, "Are you? Well then, let me be the first to wish you both every happiness and say how very welcome you are, Mr Contini. I am delighted to meet you."

The door opened to admit the maid with the tea tray, interrupting the flow of conversation and providing Jessica and Julian with an opportunity to catch breath after Becky's unexpected announcement. Having had no inkling of Mr Contini's status in the party, they had been amazed, not just by the revelation that he was to marry Becky Tate but even more by the calm manner in which Emily had received the news. They looked at one another, unable to comprehend how this had come about.

Tea was served and while Jessica busied herself dispensing cake and biscuits, Julian poured Mr Contini a glass of sherry.

Emily, her face now aglow with satisfaction, spoke softly to Becky. "Becky my dear, your Mr Contini is a fine-looking man--you must tell me all about him later. Is he the son of Mr Darcy's friends, the Continis?" she asked. Becky explained that he was their nephew, had been at school with Jonathan Bingley, and was intimately acquainted with the Grantleys, all of which seemed to please Emily very much.

Emily's delight at having her friend with her once more was plain to see, while Becky's pleasure was somewhat diluted by her sadness at seeing Emily so frail and unlike her usual self.

After tea, Jessica retired upstairs to attend to the demands of her baby daughter, while it was clear that Emily and Becky wanted to be alone to talk together, leaving Julian to entertain Mr Contini.

A somewhat reserved and shy young man at the best of times, Julian Darcy had struggled to make conversation with a complete stranger until Mr Contini himself came unexpectedly to his rescue.

"I understand, Mr Darcy, that the late Mr Gardiner had a unique collection of travel books and memorabilia in his library. I should very much like to see it, if I may."

Scarcely able to suppress a sigh of relief, Julian's face lit up with a new enthusiasm. "Yes indeed, Mr Contini, I should be most happy, come this way," he said and led the way to the library across the hall, where he left Mr Contini ensconced for the next hour, whilst he escaped upstairs to join his wife.

Meanwhile, Emily, not wishing in any way to pry, but eager to hear more of Becky's news, learnt of the circumstances in which she and Mr Contini had met and become engaged.

With her intimate knowledge of the distress and embarrassment Becky had endured when Mr Tate had abandoned her to move to the United States, Emily had always had far more sympathy and understanding for Becky than had many other members of the Pemberley clan. With their judgment distorted by the shock of Julian and Josie's shattered marriage and Josie's subsequent death, for which they had inexplicably blamed only Becky, none of them, save perhaps Cassandra, had understood Becky's grief. Emily alone had witnessed the pain she had suffered at the death of a beloved daughter in such dishonourable circumstances and had enfolded her with friendship and affection.

Consequently, she appreciated the particular partiality Becky had felt for Mr Contini, who by his warmth and sincerity had won first Becky's friendship and then her heart.

"He is, without exception, the kindest man I have ever met, Emily," Becky had said. "He loves me, and when I tell you that I feel fortunate and deeply happy at the prospect of being his wife, I know you will believe me."

Emily patted the hand that she held in hers.

"You do not have to convince me of that, my dear, I can recognise true affection when I see it, and I am in no doubt whatsoever that he loves you. If you love him just as well..."

"Oh I do," said Becky softly, "passionately."

"Well then, what more is there to say, except be happy together. You deserve some happiness, Becky, I know how long you have waited for it."

Becky knew this was no idle remark, for Emily in her youth had known deep love and happiness when she had married her brother's friend, Paul Antoine; happiness she had enjoyed but briefly. So sincere had been that love that not even the certainty of his early death had shaken her resolve.

Becky thanked her friend. "Thank you, Emily; I knew in my heart that you would understand and approve," she said, and the two friends embraced.

"You have no need of my approval, Becky; if you have made your choice because he is a good man and you love him, you
will
be happy. Nothing is more certain," said Emily.

Emily's maid entered the room; it was time to dress for dinner, and she had to assist her mistress to the room prepared for her downstairs.

Becky realised with a shock that Emily was too weak to walk up and down the stairs any longer, and as she went to her own room, she was filled with sadness for her friend. It was plain to her that Emily was very ill indeed.

Nelly, who had prepared Becky's bath and waited to assist her, revealed what she had learned from the servants.

"They are all very sad, ma'am; they love Mrs Courtney dearly, but they fear she is past saving. It seems she has been sick for a while, but as she nursed Mr Courtney, she hid her own illness from her family," she said.

"They say that one afternoon, Mr Mancini brought in some logs for the fire in the sitting room and found Mrs Courtney collapsed on the floor. It was he raised the alarm, called her maid, and carried Mrs Courtney to her room. Had he not found her, she may well have died, ma'am."

Nelly's eyes were wide and tearful as she told how young Jude Courtney had ridden hard to fetch Dr Gardiner, who had come at once to attend upon Emily, and when he had heard the tale, he had gone out to the farm to seek out Mr Mancini and thank him for saving his sister's life.

Becky was badly shaken. Mr Mancini was an Italian flower farmer who leased a part of the farm at Oakleigh; to think that Emily owed her life to his fortuitous intervention was truly appalling and indicated to Becky a serious dereliction of familial duty on the part of Emily's older children. Jude alone remained to care for his mother, with the help of a few loyal servants and Mr Mancini.

When they all met for dinner, which was a simple, wholesome meal, it was the company rather than the food that provided the greatest pleasure; it was clear to everyone that both Jessica and her mother were happier that night than they had been for many weeks. Becky's arrival and the delight it had brought Emily had lifted all their spirits.

Afterwards, Emily was tired and retired early to her room. The gentlemen continued with their discussions, assisted by the appearance of port and cheese, while Becky and Jessica repaired to the privacy of the sitting room upstairs.

They had a great deal to talk about. There was much Becky wanted to know, and Jessica had no desire to conceal anything from her mother's dearest friend. As they talked into the night, Becky learned much of what had gone before and could scarce believe what she heard. Emily, it seemed, had developed a form of tuberculosis, which had been slow to manifest itself but was no less deadly. No doctor could say for certain, but she had probably not many more months to live and needed constant care and medication, which clearly Jessica, in her present condition, nursing a new baby, was unable to provide.

"Julian and I wanted to move to Oakleigh, because it means that I can at least be aware of her condition and see she is cared for, but both Dr Gardiner and Mrs Darcy advise against it, and Julian is inclined to agree with them. They believe that my little daughter and I are at risk if we stay.

"I am very disappointed. The servants are devoted to her, but they are not able to give her the care she needs, and Mama will not move to Pemberley, as Mrs Darcy has suggested. She could be well looked after there, but Mama fears it will mean abandoning Oakleigh and the staff here. She will not do it."

As Becky shook her head sadly, Jessica added, "Mama is more concerned with the staff and what will happen to them once she is gone than with her own health."

"She has spoken of it to me, too. She is anxious that they should not be abandoned by the family," said Becky.

"Indeed, many of them have been here for most of her life, and she is determined that they will not be deserted. She has made Julian promise not to retrench any of them and has personally assured them of this," said Jessica.

"And what about your older brother and sister? Have you any expectation of assistance from them?" asked Becky.

Jessica looked down at her hands, clearly unwilling to blame her siblings, who, by all reports, had shown little inclination to help their parents.

"I have no knowledge of what they may have said to Mama, but I do know Mrs Darcy has spoken to William when he was here for Papa's funeral, and she was not satisfied with his response. Mama will not ask them for help, yet there is little enough money left to keep her in comfort. Julian has been very helpful, and my uncle Dr Gardiner is exceedingly generous with his time and money," she explained.

"But Elizabeth and William?"

"We have had no word from them since Papa's funeral," Jessica replied softly, "though I do know that William writes to Mama occasionally."

Becky was astounded; it was the future she was most concerned with, and even as she listened, her mind was working on a plan that might help her friend. That Emily had little money left and no prospect of increased income from the farm was her greatest concern, and having sworn Jessica to secrecy, she revealed her intention to use some of her own inheritance to alleviate the problem.

"I shall write to Jonathan Bingley tomorrow and propose that a fund be set up in Josie's memory, which may be used to help Emily and others like her who suffer from this dreadful affliction. To begin with, I want you to engage a good nurse with proper training, who will live at Oakleigh and look after your mama for as long as she needs her care. I shall pay her wages; I will give you a sum of money in advance and send you more later, but you must ask Cassy or Caroline to help you find the right person. She must be a kind and amiable woman as well as a good nurse."

Jessica, astonished at her generosity, was somewhat reluctant to accept without question everything Becky had offered.

She asked, "Are you quite certain, Becky? Mama may not wish me to take your money."

But Becky insisted. "My dear Jessica, your mama is the dearest friend I have. There is no need at all to be concerned about accepting this money. I am certainly not likely to go hungry without it," she said lightly and then proceeded to explain.

"My late husband, Mr Tate, left me the entire proceeds of his American business, held in trust and administered for me by Jonathan Bingley. I am permitted to use it for special purposes, if I am able to convince Mr Bingley of their value. I do not, even for a moment, anticipate any difficulty on that score. If helping to care for Emily is not a deserving cause, I do not know what is. So you must have no qualms about this at all. I shall write to Jonathan tomorrow and have it all arranged before we leave for Italy."

Jessica, somewhat reassured by this explanation, turned eagerly to the subject of Becky's wedding.

"Are you to be married in Italy?" she asked, expecting that Mr Contini would wish to be married in his native country.

"Oh no," Becky replied, "it is to be only a very simple ceremony--at the little church in Hunsford, which is my parish church. I had my big wedding many years ago, Jessica, when I married Mr Tate--there were hundreds of guests. I am sorry to disappoint you, my dear, but this will be a very different wedding."

Jessica smiled; she had learned from her mother, some years ago, of the circumstances of Becky's marriage to Mr Tate and her consequent life of considerable influence but little felicity.

"But it will be a happier marriage, I think?" she asked simply, and Becky put her arms around her. "My dear Jessica, that I can absolutely promise you. Now, I think I must get some sleep, and so must you. Julian will be worried that I am keeping you awake too long. Tomorrow, I shall want to meet your daughter. Your mama assures me she is very beautiful."

A few days later, when they were taking tea in the parlour, a message arrived from Mr and Mrs Darcy, inviting everyone at Oakleigh, and in particular Becky and Mr Contini, to a dinner party at Pemberley on the Saturday following. The invitation was accepted with pleasure.

Jessica, with Becky's permission, had informed Elizabeth of the engagement between Becky Tate and Mr Contini.

"Of course you may tell Mrs Darcy," Becky had said. "I was intending to write to her before the wedding, but the arrival of your letter, with news of your mama's illness, threw all my plans into disarray," and when Jessica had carried the news to Pemberley, it had been received with some surprise and a good deal of curiosity.