Mr. Darcy's Daughter (33 page)

Cassandra
rarely became angry with him or her children. She was by nature calm and well
tempered. Her husband was keen to discover what had caused this extraordinary
state of disquiet. "My dear Cassy, hadn't you better start at the
beginning and tell me what it is that's causing you such distress? I find it
hard to believe that Lizzie can have done or said anything so bad as to upset
you in this way."

When
she did tell him, however, going back to New Year's Eve at Pemberley, of the
remarks of her mother and Aunt Jane, as well as her own observations of the
pair on the day the news came of Josie's death, her husband's initial
expression of mild confusion deepened to one of bewilderment. When she had
finished saying her piece, he was silent for a few moments, before taking up
the letter he had brought upstairs and setting it down upon the table before
her, with the comment, "I think, my dear, you had better read this letter.
It may explain many of the things that have been troubling you."

She
looked at the letter and, seeing it had been written more than a fortnight ago,
said, "But Richard, this must have reached you weeks ago."

He
nodded, "Yes dearest, a fortnight ago, to be precise. I do apologise; I
should have told you of its contents earlier, but as you have said, there was
always some circumstance in the way. It did not seem appropriate to be
discussing it while we were in the midst of preparations for the funeral. But,
it has to be answered, so please read it."

Cassandra
picked up the letter and read it through quickly, then more slowly again, with
care. It was from Mr. Carr, written on New Year's Eve, informing Dr Gardiner of
his happiness at having been accepted by his daughter Lizzie and asking for the
blessing of her parents upon their engagement.

It
set out also, in detail, his current circumstances, his business affairs, and
income, and assured Dr and Mrs. Gardiner that he not only loved their daughter
dearly and hoped to make her happy, but that he had more than adequate means to
do so, in a material sense as well.

As
to his character and credentials, he referred them to two very reputable
gentlemen in the city, one of whom was his attorney, a well-known lawyer of
impeccable integrity, and to their own son Darcy, who had been his friend and
companion for some years and knew him as well as any man in England, he said.

The
letter was well written, though couched perhaps somewhat less formally than
most, which Cassy put down to his being an American.

She
handed it back to her husband, with a look of resignation on her face, and said,
"It reads well," to which Richard replied with some enthusiasm,
"It certainly does, my dear. I am impressed. It is a modest, courteous
proposal, without presumption or self-praise and pleasantly devoid of
sanctimonious hypocrisy."

Cassy
could not help feeling some annoyance and frustration; her eldest daughter
Lizzie, whom she had cherished with love and affection, to whom she had felt so
close, had fallen in love and accepted a proposal of marriage from a man who
had been a complete stranger to their family until a year or so ago. Yet Lizzie
had never once sought to confide in her.

It
would have been inconceivable, Cassy thought, that she would have acted in this
way. She recalled, with some nostalgia, how she had entrusted her mother with
her secret, confessing her love for Richard and borrowing her special jewels on
the night of the Pemberley Ball, the night she had hoped he would propose.

She
even remembered the excitement they had shared in the cold corridors of
Pemberley House when, after all the guests had departed, she had gone to tell
her mother that Richard would call on her father on the morrow. Cassy could not
believe that things were so very different between herself and her daughter.

What
could possibly have gone wrong?

Not
wishing to interrupt her reverie, Richard had moved away to the window. In the
distance, he could see a group returning from church. Anthony and James were
running on ahead, followed by their governess and Laura Ann.

Much
further back, two figures, whom he could just make out, came into view, Lizzie
with Mr. Carr, who had dismounted from his horse to walk with her.

Even
at this distance there was no doubting from their attitude and manner, his head
inclined towards her, her arm through his, that they were much more than casual
friends walking home from church.

His
wife's voice broke in upon his thoughts. "What do you intend to say to
him?" she asked.

Richard
turned to look directly at her, seemingly puzzled by her question.

"What
should I say? I have made some enquiries through my attorney and it appears
that all his claims here are perfectly true. He is well educated, well spoken,
very well regarded in the city as a businessman, and has substantial means.
Indeed, he has not included here the inheritance he can expect from his father
in America, which, Darcy tells me, is probably in excess of what he already has
in this country.

It
seems he has established himself in business, quite successfully.

"Darcy,
who knows him well, speaks of him with affection and respect.

"Clearly,
he is not seeking to marry our daughter for her money; he has more of it than
any one of our five children can expect to have from me.

"So,
from all accounts, Mr. Carr would seem to be an eminently suitable person, to
which, of course, one must add the not unimportant fact that they are in love
and Lizzie has already accepted him," he replied.

Cassy
frowned; she had not expected him to be so sanguine about the matter of his
daughter's engagement. While she had no reason to disapprove of Mr. Carr, she
had
expected her husband to have
some reservations. Apparently he did not.

"I
shall speak with her, of course, before I respond to his letter, but if they
are already pledged to one another..." Cassy interrupted him. "But
Richard, is it a suitable match for Lizzie? Have you considered that she is
only nineteen?

Can
we be sure she knows her own mind? Besides, he is much older than her and he is
an American, of whose family and background we know nothing, save what he has
told us."

At
that, he smiled. "Ah, what we do know, of course, is that his grandfather
was a stable boy on the Fitzwilliams' estate in Ireland."

He
paused and came around to where she was seated and, standing directly before
her, asked gently, "Are you sure, my dear, that your anxiety about his
background has not been brought on by that little discovery, one that Mr. Carr
cheerfully revealed to us himself?"

Cassandra
was completely taken aback. Shocked by her husband's question and its
implications of snobbery and worse, she was silent for a moment, unable to
answer him and he continued.

"I
might remind you, my dear, that when Mr. Carr arrived in the district and
expressed his interest in purchasing a property in the area, you were very keen
for him to do so. You urged me to recommend him to Will Camden. You thought he
would be an excellent neighbour. You did not question his connections
then." His voice, though gentle, left her in no doubt of his opinion on
the matter and she felt very uneasy.

Cassy
looked at her husband and, realising how very well he knew her, said,

"Richard,
that was quite different. I do not deny it, indeed he is a very good neighbour;
I can think of none better and he has been helpful and generous with his time
when we needed help. I cannot fault his conduct in any of these matters. But to
marry Lizzie? I need to be sure he is right for her. I have been so worried,
especially after the disaster of Julian and Josie's marriage, which has been
such a harrowing experience for all of us. I would feel I was not doing my duty
if I did not pay close attention to it. He is a charming and amiable man and I
fear that Lizzie, at nineteen, may not know her own mind," she looked at
him, hoping he would understand her concerns. "You do not really believe
that I am the sort of woman who will condemn a man for his humble forebears, do
you?" she pleaded.

Seeing
her distress, Richard put his arms around her, reassuring her of his faith in
her.
"Of course not, my love, or you could not possibly
have married the grandson of a man who began trading as a barrow boy!"

He
laughed as she pulled away and looked at him, all astonishment at his words.
Then, he nodded, and said, "Did your Mama not tell you? My father always
told us the story to remind us that a man was to be judged not by his humble
beginnings, but for himself and what he made of his life. So you see, it would
not be fair or right to look down upon Mr. Carr, because of his grandfather's
occupation. Indeed, on my part, it would be gross hypocrisy."

As
she listened, he went on to explain. "I did, however, have some concerns
about his associates in the city; I am no admirer of the gentlemen of the stock
exchange. But, I have, by my enquiries, satisfied myself that he is, as he
appears to be, a decent, unpretentious fellow who makes an honest living
through commerce; he has a few good friends and no obvious enemies."

Cassy
looked at her husband and smiled for the first time in their conversation.
"And you believe he is the right man for Lizzie?"

"I
do and so does her brother. Darcy assures me Mr. Michael Carr is a prince among
men; he trusts him implicitly. But we shall wait to hear Lizzie's side of the
tale before I write to him. If, as I think she will, she tells me she loves him
and has made up her mind to marry him, I cannot see that we would do ourselves
or Lizzie any good by objecting to her choice. She is a good sensible girl,
Cassy, very much like her mother was, though not quite as beautiful. I doubt
she will do something as stupid as marry the wrong man. She has your excellent
example, after all."

This
time, Cassy laughed and he could see she was more at ease.

"Was
your grandfather really a barrow boy?" she asked, still a little doubtful,
but Richard was adamant.

"Indeed
he was, a small trader in the best sense of the word and by all accounts a very
successful one. He did not remain a barrow boy forever; he moved up into
trading from his own warehouse in Cheapside, where he built up the very
profitable trade that my father, who had the benefit of a superior education,
inherited. Of course he went further; while we continued to live in Cheapside,
he purchased and developed the old Commercial Trading Company, engaged in
import and export business with the Colonies. Subsequently, he went into
partnership with your father and Colonel Fitzwilliam, and you know the rest.
We, all the members of my family, owe a great deal to their enterprise and hard
work and it all began with that young barrow boy."

He
spoke lightly, but Cassy's arms tightened around him; he knew her well and
would not let her take a wrong step, if he could help it. She was grateful and
said so. "Thank you, Richard, thank you for telling me."

Hearing
the children coming in, they went downstairs. The boys galloped up the stairs,
followed by Miss Longhurst, their new governess, and Laura Ann.

Lizzie
was standing in the hall, her bonnet in her hand, when her father said,

"Ah,
Lizzie, my dear, would you come into my study? Your Mama and I would like a
word," and Lizzie, a little surprised to see her parents waiting for her,
set down her hymnbook and bonnet and followed them into the room.

She
knew already from Mr. Carr, whom they had met on the way home from church, that
he had not, as yet, received a response to his letter, but he had very
generously explained away the delay by pointing out that with the death of her
Aunt Josie and the subsequent decision of her Uncle Julian to renounce his
inheritance, her father must have had several important matters to deal with in
the same fortnight.

"I
would not be surprised if he has been far too busy to open my letter," he
had said, urging her to be patient. "When circumstances return to normal,
he will send for you and then I shall have my answer."

Lizzie
had asked, "What do you suppose he will say?" and he had shrugged his
shoulders. "He's your Papa, my dear Lizzie, you know him better than I do.

What
do
you
think he will say?
Will he let you marry me?"

Lizzie
had been surprised at the trepidation in his voice.

"Why
should he not?" she demanded, and again, he had looked anxious and
uncertain, as he replied, "I cannot say, my love; he may think, perhaps,
that I am too old for you."

"You
are not!" Lizzie protested, "Why, my Mama is almost ten years younger
than Papa; nobody thought he was too old for her! I understand from my
grandmothers that it was regarded as an excellent match by both families,"
she had said, adding defiantly, "Besides, as my Aunt Emma Wilson says, it
is not those sorts of things that matter in the end, but what is in your mind
and heart.

"She
says, if you truly love and respect one another and want to do only those
things that will make each other happy, that is what makes a good marriage. And
my Aunt Emma should know, she was married twice; the first was miserable, but
after his death, she is now so happily wed, you cannot imagine a better
marriage."