Mr. Darcy's Daughter (15 page)

"Is
it really, Richard? I know you do not wish to criticise your brother, and it is
generous of you to defend him, but I think we would all agree that neither you
nor I nor Bingley here, would feel able to step into your father's shoes, would
we not?"

Richard
nodded, and so did Bingley; there was general agreement on that score.

"Well
then, how do you suppose Robert, who has less experience than either Bingley or
myself, who, since his marriage, has spent more time in London and Paris than
in Manchester or Derbyshire, and never once attempted to improve his
qualifications for the position, how do you suppose he would cope with the
situation?"

Cassy
understood her father's argument, but wished to ask another question. "And
what do you believe convinced Mr. Gardiner that Caroline could do better?"
she asked, and her father smiled and relaxed, as he explained, "Now there,
I can give you a precise answer, because she had already proved it."

And
as those around the table looked puzzled, he continued.

"Not
many people are aware of this; I was, but my lips were sealed. Now it can be
told, if only to assure you that no injustice has been done. Some time ago, Mr.
Gardiner was advised by his doctors and, I think, by you, Richard, to reduce
his hours of work and the amount of travelling he did. Consequently, he had
Caroline over to Oakleigh regularly to help him with his correspondence and
check his books. Occasionally, he sent her to Manchester with Colonel
Fitzwilliam, on his behalf. She apparently showed a remarkable aptitude for the
work and was eager to learn.

"A
year or so ago, she uncovered some discrepancies in the statements of accounts
from the Manchester office and brought them to Mr. Gardiner's attention.
Although Robert was advised of this by his father, he claimed to have found
nothing wrong with the books kept by Mr. Stokes.

"Meanwhile,
a similar problem was discovered in the accounts from London and Mr. Gardiner
despatched Caroline, together with myself and Robert, to London. There, we
contacted the lawyers and the accountants and, after a proper investigation,
the clerk in charge of the books was prosecuted and some of the monies
recovered, entirely due to Caroline's patient and meticulous work. Robert had
had no idea what was going on.

"Mr.
Gardiner was most impressed with Caroline's work as he was disappointed in
Robert's lack of application, and I am prepared to believe that he made up his
mind on the matter of his will soon afterwards."

"Did
he not ask Robert how he had missed the errors and give him the chance to
explain?" asked Elizabeth.

"No,
my dear," Mr. Darcy replied. "I believe he did not wish to humiliate
his son; besides, by the time the courts had dealt with the case, Robert and
Rose had already left for Paris. It was at the time of the great art exhibition
at the Louvre."

Mr.
Darcy smiled and went on. "Mr. Gardiner was not only a good businessman;
he was also a kind father. But, while he wished to spare his son's feelings, he
was not prepared to risk the entire business by leaving it in indifferent
hands."

Clearly,
Mr. Darcy had been consulted by Mr. Gardiner, and it was apparent to all
present that he had approved of the decision as a sensible and prudent one.

Shortly
afterwards, the ladies rose and left the room and, by the time the gentlemen
rejoined them, the subjects of their conversations had changed. The ladies were
engaged in discussing Anne-Marie's wedding and speculating about everything from
the bridal clothes to the refurbishment of Longbourn.

Elizabeth
had heard of it in a letter from Charlotte Collins and indeed had invited her
to spend some time at Pemberley while the work was in progress, "if the
workmen made too much noise."

The
gentlemen had somewhat graver matters to speak of. Richard reported that Mr.
Carr had made mention of two men who had accosted him at the inn one evening
and offered to buy the Rushmore stud.

"They
had claimed to represent an interested party from London, to whom money was no
object; he could name his price. When he turned them down, indicating that he
had no intention of selling, they left, but he had the distinct impression they
were unlikely to take no for an answer," said Richard, and Mr. Darcy
looked very concerned indeed.

It
was agreed that Mr. Carr should be advised to steer clear of them.

Darcy
recalled a very nasty experience he'd had several years ago with a similar
group of land speculators from London.

"They're
a bad lot. I would warn Carr to be very watchful, especially as he lives alone
up at the farm. He should be vigilant. These men cannot be trusted,"

he
warned. Richard agreed to convey his advice to Mr. Carr, who was expected to
return from Derby on the morrow.

"He
has a very good man in Jack Boyden," he said, and Mr. Darcy agreed.

"Indeed
he has. I believe Mr. Grantham recommended him to Carr; he was apprenticed at
Pemberley for several years before leaving to work in Derby. If Carr needed a
sound man to manage the stud, he has certainly found one. However, it is
essential that Carr keeps his hand in and does not behave like an absentee
landlord. I have found that when the landowner lives on his property and takes
an interest in the running of it, his stewards and managers do likewise."

At
this, Mr. Bingley spoke up to support Darcy.

"You
are absolutely right, Darcy. Why, only last year, a property at Ashbourne came
on the market after the owner was declared bankrupt, having spent his time in
London, knowing nothing of the fraudulent practices of his agent. He had been
ruined."

Pondering
this salutary lesson, they repaired to the drawing room, where coffee was
served and Mr. Bingley begged for some music.

Cassandra
was willing to oblige and the rest of the evening passed lightly by. There was
no further discussion of Mr. Gardiner's will; the prospect of Anne-Marie's
wedding seemed a more attractive topic, one on which there was unanimous
agreement.

Cassandra's
account of her father's opinions on the subject of Mr. Gardiner's will reached
Jonathan and Anna Bingley at Netherfield Park by a circuitous path, through a
letter from Jonathan's sister Emma Wilson. So astonished had Emma been at the
revelations in a letter she had received from Cassy that she had enclosed it
within her own and despatched it to her brother forthwith.

In
the accompanying note Emma wrote:

If
Mr. Darcy and Mr. Gardiner are right, as Cassy reports, then Caroline
Fitzwilliam will be one of the most remarkable women I know. There are not many
women who control a successful trading company. With her charm and good looks
and her husband's political influence, Caroline will be very powerful indeed, Mr.
Wilson believes. I enclose Cassy's letter for your perusal...

Reading
Cassandra's letter to his sister, Jonathan could only agree.

Passing
it to his wife, he said, with the certainty of one who does not expect to be
contradicted, "And I have no doubt at all that she will be exceedingly
successful, too."

Having
read both letters, Anna had to concur with her husband.

Everything
she knew about Caroline Fitzwilliam confirmed his belief that Mr. Gardiner had
made a prudent, if unusual decision.

*

Anne-Marie's
wedding day drew near and the families from Derbyshire, Leicester, and Kent
prepared for their journeys to Netherfield. Despite the recent death of Mr.
Gardiner, several of them travelled to Hertfordshire for the occasion. Mrs.
Gardiner, naturally, did not join them, while her son Robert and his wife Rose
had already left to spend the Winter in Europe with friends.

The
rest of the family were looking forward to seeing Jonathan Bingley's eldest
daughter happily wed at last. They were all aware, though some did not know the
detail of the circumstances, that her first marriage to the Reverend Bradshaw
had been far from happy and that she had suffered without complaint until his
sudden death some two years ago. They wanted to wish her and Mr. Elliott
happiness and good fortune.

Mr.
and Mrs. Darcy had another reason for anticipating the occasion with some pleasure.
They expected to see their son Julian and his wife at the wedding. Reports had
reached them that Josie was much recovered from her earlier illness and had
given them hope that they would see the two of them together for the first time
in many months.

Imagine
their disappointment then, when on the evening before the wedding, while the
families were taking tea in the parlour, a hired vehicle drew up at the
entrance to Netherfield House and Julian Darcy alighted alone. He had travelled
post from Cambridge.

Josie,
he explained apologetically, was as yet not well enough to travel the distance
from Cambridge to Hertfordshire in Winter. No amount of questioning could
elicit from him any further information about her health or situation.

Elizabeth
was tearful when she told her sister Jane the unhappy news.

"It
seems such a long time since we saw her, Jane. I am beginning to wonder whether
there is something more to this reluctance on her part to meet with us.

Is
it possible that we, or even I, may have offended her, albeit unwittingly, so
she will not meet with me?"

Jane
could not imagine how such a thing may have occurred. While she was aware that
Josie Tate was not her sister's first choice as a bride for her son (she had
openly admitted to a preference for Amy Fitzwilliam), Jane knew that once
Julian's wishes were known to them, both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy had welcomed
Josie to Pemberley.

"Lizzie,
that is nonsense and you know it," she said. "Nothing that you or Mr.
Darcy have done could have caused such offence. If it had, however unwittingly,
we would have heard of it, one way or another. Either Rebecca or Mr. Tate would
surely have given us some indication. I cannot believe it, Lizzie.

There
has to be another reason." Jane was quite adamant that her sister was not
to blame. After a few moments' silence, she asked, "Do you think, Lizzie,
that there could be some trouble between them? Julian and Josie, I mean? I
remember well that when Jonathan was having problems with Amelia-Jane, she would
not accept any of my invitations to Ashford Park. Could it be that Julian and
Josie are experiencing similar difficulties?"

"I
cannot think why," said her sister. "Amelia-Jane was an immature
young girl, with little to recommend her save her looks, while Josie is an
intelligent and accomplished young woman. She and Julian share so many
interests, I cannot believe there could be similar problems between them."

Jane
tried again. "Perhaps if you were to ask Cassy if young Lizzie noticed
anything untoward, when she was staying with them," she suggested, and
Elizabeth agreed that was a good idea.

"I
shall try to get her alone after the wedding and ask her myself," she said
with determination, hoping that young Lizzie Gardiner might throw some light on
what was fast becoming a vexing mystery.

*

The
wedding was exactly as the bride and groom had wished it to be: a quiet, happy
celebration for their families. There were tears and smiles, music, dancing,
plenty of food and wine, and Lizzie Gardiner was so busy enjoying herself that
Elizabeth found no opportunity to get her popular granddaughter alone.

She
did, however, succeed in questioning Cassandra, who had expressed her own
disappointment to her mother at the non-arrival of her sister-in-law, thus giving
her an ideal opening.

But
before Elizabeth could ask the question, Cassy mentioned that Julian had asked
her, during the wedding breakfast, if Lizzie may be permitted to return with
him to Cambridge.

"He
thinks she is very good for Josie, being young and cheerful, and would like her
to spend the time until Christmas with them."

"And
have you agreed?" asked her mother.

Cassy
shook her head.

"I
cannot, because Lizzie is committed to help Emily with the parish Nativity play
on Christmas Eve. She will not let her down; they have been working on it for
weeks. I have told Julian I will consider sending her to them in the New
Year," she replied and then suddenly asked, "Mama, do you really
think all is well between them? I am very afraid. I sense my brother is not
happy, yet he will say nothing. It is not just that Josie is unwell; he seems
unduly anxious and uncertain, I cannot believe it is simply a matter of her
health."

Elizabeth
saw her opportunity and took it. "Did Lizzie not notice anything unusual
when she stayed with them?" she asked.

Cassy
shrugged her shoulders. "Not unless you consider Julian being closeted in
his study for hours on end, while she reads poetry with her friends
unusual."

Elizabeth
frowned. "Who are these friends?"

"Not
anyone we know, although I have met a Mr. Barrett, who is in the book trade.
There are two young women, Misses Wallace-something-or-other, not very
intelligent by Lizzie's measure, and Mr. Barrett's friend, a publisher named
Andrew Jones," said Cassy.