Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (57 page)

“Yes, Mama.”  Jane said softly and held up the little gown she was making for the baby. 

“Oh that is just lovely, Jane!”  Mrs. Bennet took it and examined the stitching.  “You have always had such a fine hand with a needle!”

“Thank you, Mama.”

“Now, we must discuss your laying in.  Your old chambers are perfect, I will have the birthing bed brought down from the attic, in fact, I think that I had you in that room!”  She nodded.  “Yes, yes, and of course, Mrs. Tomlin will come to be your midwife, and I will put in a great deal of port for Mr. Lucas to drink.”

“Mama.”  Jane spoke quietly but firmly.  “I will have the baby at Lucas Lodge.”

“Nonsense.”  Mrs. Bennet waved her hand.  “Now, it might happen at any time, so I think that immediately after Christmas, you will move in here.  Mr. Lucas can remain at Lucas Lodge.”

“
Mama
.”
  Jane’s voice rose.  “I will have the baby at Lucas Lodge, and you will
not
interfere.”

Lydia glanced at Jane then at her mother.  Mrs. Bennet stared at her.  “But this is your home!”

“No, this is
your
home.”  Jane stared right back.  “My home is with my husband, and why you would ever think that I would agree to be separated from him is beyond me.  No Mama, stop this right now.  I will have my baby, all will be well, but if you want your welcome to continue at Lucas Lodge, I seriously suggest that you and Lady Lucas learn how to cooperate with each other, and leave me and Robert alone.”

“Alone?”  She sniffed.  “I do not know what you mean.”

“Yes you do, Mama.”  Lydia rolled her eyes.  “Really, all of these demands to be in charge of Jane’s confinement and laying in, you should have seen Lady Lucas, steam was coming from her ears the last time you spoke.”

Jane nodded.  “You were usurping her position.”

“Usurping her . . . I am your mother!”

“But my name is
Lucas
now.  I am very proud of it, and in his home is where I belong.”  Jane added forcefully, “Not another word on this Mama.  I do not want to hear this again!  Do you hear me?”

“AND IF YOU WANT us to remain here for the birth, I seriously suggest that you control your behaviour.”  Lucas addressed his parents.  He strode around his father’s study and turned to where they were seated.  “Sniping at Mrs. Bennet, Mother?  What good does that do anyone?  You know that she is most . . . well you know that she does not appreciate subtlety. ”

“That is why you must speak to her like a child!”  Lady Lucas declared. 

“But do you see that you were just as bad, for answering her back in the same manner?  You have been the woman’s neighbour for nearly a quarter century!  Have you learned nothing?  Jane is her favourite daughter, her first child, she . . .” He closed his eyes, not believing he was defending his mother-in-law, “She wants to participate in this most important event, but has no ability to control her enthusiasm.”  Lady Lucas coloured and he turned to his father.  “And you, letting this sniping continue at all!  At least Mr. Bennet has spoken up several times, you just laugh!”

“It is amusing.”  Sir William smiled and got an elbow to his side from his wife. 

“It is driving us to have her confinement elsewhere in peace.”

“Really Son, would you seriously go to Longbourn for the birth?”

“I was not referring to Longbourn.”  Lucas turned his back on them and stood at the window.  “We do have other relatives, and honestly, the respite that they afford us is invaluable, but . . .” He sighed.  “I will not depend on their kindness, their tolerance and understanding.  This is our home.  I would like to remain here.  Lord knows that if I could afford it, I would find a cottage, something that I could rent to bring us some peace.” 

“That is why you went to London, Robert?  To escape us?”  Lady Lucas asked and saw his head nod.  “Are we so horrible?”

“Do not put words in my mouth, Mother.”  He turned.  “See, you are doing it again, it is the same thing that you do with Mrs. Bennet.  You egg me on to say something so that you can react defensively.  I have had enough.  Jane is speaking with her mother right now.  We are serious, stop the sniping, stop the war over which parent we love more, stop making us feel guilty for wanting time to ourselves, just stop.  And when our baby arrives, I will not see you two fighting over him.  That is if you want to see him at all.”  He went to the door and opened it, and walked outside to take a deep breath of air.  “I wonder if that worked.”  Lucas walked out to the stable and saddled his horse before the groom had a chance to help.  Climbing on, he started riding off the frustration that both sets of parents inevitably brought him, and finally slowing, he came to the crest of a small rise, where he had an excellent view of Longbourn’s fields.  “If only estates could go to the eldest child, not the eldest son.” 

“Well that would have solved all of my problems.” 

Lucas turned to see Mr. Bennet ambling up on his old mare.  “Sir.”

“If only that fool Collins would die.”  He chuckled when Lucas’s eyes widened.  “No, I am not planning a murder, but he is the only male heir that exists, there is no other that we can identify.  Now that his father has passed, he is the heir.”

“Toad.”

“Indeed.”  Mr. Bennet gave him a sidelong glance.  “So did your parents receive the same dressing down that my wife did today?”

“She did it?”  Lucas smiled.  “She was hesitant to go forth.”

“Jane is a peacemaker, but this was too important.  I am glad that she spoke, and I am sorry that it continues to be necessary, I have stopped it when I am present.  Have you headaches like your brother?”

“Darcy truly suffers with pain, mine is more along the lines of frustration.”

“Hmm, well, come with me.”  Mr. Bennet nudged his horse and they set off along the edge of the property.   “As you know, when I die, Mrs. Bennet is homeless.”

“Yes, sir.” 

“That was not always the case for the mistress of the estate.”  He led them along, down a lane and up an old, overgrown drive.  They came up to a cottage, a shell of a cottage, covered in vines, with long grass growing right up to the door.  “This was the dower house.”

“Was is the word, what happened?”

“A fire, some, oh, twenty-five years ago?”  Mr. Bennet hopped down from his horse and Lucas joined him.  “My mother died here from the smoke.”  He looked around and sighed.  “Well, it was a ruin, and there being no old mistress anymore, there was no reason to repair it.”  They stepped forward and pushing open the creaking door, they walked into the modest house.  “Truly a mess.”  He looked around.  “But the walls and stairs are sound.  It needs a roof, and floors, fix up the kitchen and of course furniture, but . . .” He turned to Lucas and smiled.  “If you have the energy to repair it, you are welcome to live here.”

“Here?”  Lucas stared around at the walls, still blackened with soot from the fire.

“I received a letter today from Lizzy, telling me of Mr. Darcy’s cousin accepting the family’s offer to take the dower house at Matlock until he had enough accumulated to purchase a small estate of his own, and that is when I remembered this place.  It would not be forever, sooner or later you will have Lucas Lodge.  You do not need land to provide an income; you just need a place to hang your hat in peace.”  He looked around and pulled up a small tree that was sprouting in the sitting room.  “Well, this is the best I can do for you, but I can provide some funds for the repairs, perhaps some of the tenants can lend a hand when the harvest is in.”

Lucas walked around, going through all the rooms, wandering upstairs, then back down.  There was so much work to be done, but it could be managed with time and effort.  “What of the entail?  Could Collins remove us?”

“Then you could return to Lucas Lodge and be no worse off than you are now, perhaps even more appreciated for your absence.  One day you know that will be your home.”  Mr. Bennet smiled and gave his shoulder a squeeze.  “Why not go and find Jane, and see what she thinks?”

Lucas took another long look around, this time with eyes filled with optimism instead of doubt.  It was small, but there was room for them, a baby or two; perhaps two servants . . . “Thank you, Mr. Bennet.  I think that I will do just that.”

Chapter 18

“S
orry, sir.”  Sanders untied the cravat once again.

“It is fine, Corporal . . . Sanders.  Take your time.”  Richard closed his eyes as he worked.  “I thank you for remaining with me.”

     “I could not consider serving another, sir.”  Maintaining his emotionless expression, he slowly went through the steps of tying a civilian’s neck cloth, and at last formed the perfect knot.  “There she goes.”  He said under his breath.  Nodding, he stepped back.  “Your coat, sir.” 

“Yes.”  Richard reopened his eyes and held out his arms, allowing the new blue coat to be slipped on and adjusted.  He stood before the mirror and watched as his batman, now valet, fussed over him.  “That is fine, Cor . . . Sanders.”

“Yes, Colonel.”  The two men’s eyes met.  “You will always be Colonel Fitzwilliam, sir.”

“Well . . . If the master of Rosings can remain a navy captain, then,” he straightened, “I suppose that I can remain a colonel.  And better yet,” a little of his old swagger returned, “I believe that I might outrank him.”

“That’s the spirit, sir.”  Sanders nodded approvingly, and disappeared through the servant’s door. 

Richard stared in the mirror, and found himself reaching to adjust the sword that was no longer there.  “Sir?”  He looked up to see a footman at the door.  “This express just came for you.”

“Thank you.”  Creasing his brow, he examined the letter, and recognized the precise handwriting instantly.  He quickly broke the seal and read.  A slow smile lifted his lips.

13 August 1811

Pemberley

Derbyshire

Dear Richard,

I felt that I should finally express how proud I am of you.  I have admired you since we were boys when I perpetually endeavoured to catch you, and wished to best you, which I eventually managed to do once or twice.  I look at you as my elder brother, and I know that although you are only eighteen months my senior, you have served as my teacher and my companion, and remain my greatest friend, only surpassed by my dear wife. 

I worried along with the rest of the family when you entered the army.  I paced the floors and knelt in prayer when you were deployed.  I cursed and begged and waited impatiently for news when you were injured, and hoped desperately that you would recover to once again be my most exceptional tormentor.  It was your encouragement that helped me through Father’s decline; it was your tales that buoyed my spirits as I struggled to adjust to my new position.  It was your return and humour that helped me when I felt so lost; and it was your boot that kicked me out the door and into Elizabeth’s arms.  I am forever grateful.

All of those things you accomplished as a man, not a soldier.  It was not your uniform that made you an exceptional person.  Without doubt it gave your miserable countenance a presence, a measure of confidence, and you proved over and over that you are worthy of your rank unlike so many who simply bought the job and brought no intelligence to it.  But that is not my point.  You, Richard Fitzwilliam, accomplished those great feats on the battlefield, in the training grounds, and most importantly to me, as my cousin, my brother, and my friend.  No uniform was necessary for that; you would have been the man you are, regardless.

I know that your pride is hurting.  You are accepting help, real help, for the first time in your life.  It grates on you, it makes you feel weak, it hurts to have to go back to the family home and seemingly have no purpose, but that is where you are wrong.  You have great purpose as husband and father, and your family wants more than anything to see you succeed, and better yet, see you out of the dower’s house and master of your own estate as soon as possible.  After all, do you truly believe that Stephen wants your mother living in Matlock when he is Earl?

Put your misgivings, disappointment, and feelings of failure aside.  Take this move as a respite, not a sign of weakness.  If you cannot bear to be at Matlock, come to Pemberley, we will be very glad to have you and your family. 

Your brother,

Darcy

“Good Lord, man, you will make me weep.”  Richard blinked his brightened eyes and taking the letter, carefully folded the sheets and walked to the travelling desk to place it with his most important papers.  He took out his handkerchief and blew his nose.  “Very well, Darcy.  Buck me up.  But it is so hard.” 

“Richard?”  Evangeline came into the dressing room and put her hand on his back.  “It is nearly time to go.”

“I know.”  He turned to her and she slipped her arms around his waist.  They stood tightly embraced.  “I am so sorry, my dear Eva.  I am so sorry.”

“You make this sound like we are going to debtor’s prison!”  She whispered and he laughed softly.  “We are going on an unusually extended visit to a beautiful estate, and will live in a very lovely house.”  Drawing back, she caressed his face.  “Put your pride aside.”

“I have.  I am wearing this damn coat, am I not?”

“That coat makes your blue eyes even bluer.”  Evangeline smiled and he could not help but smile back.  “I rather like this new look.”

“Do you?”  He glanced down.  “It feels so odd.”

“You do not smell like a horse.” 

“Well there is a bonus.”  Fitzwilliam laughed.

“For me it is.”  She laughed and rested her head on his chest.  “I received an express from Elizabeth.”