Mr. Darcy's Daughter (19 page)

Richard
shrugged his shoulders. "I should think that, after observing Julian and
Josie during their visit to Pemberley at Christmas, they will be in no doubt
that there is a very grave problem, but it is unlikely that they will
understand, unless Julian tells them, how deeply entrenched it is."

"What
will you do, Richard?"

He
looked uncertain. "I have to admit, my love, that I am at a loss as to what
I should do. I have no wish to intrude; neither Julian nor Josie will welcome
it. Were I to say anything before he mentions it, Julian will know that you
have spoken to me of his troubles."

Cassy
sat up in bed, her eyes wide with worry. She was genuinely afraid that if
nothing were done, great harm may come to her brother and his family. She could
not see either Julian or Josie finding a way out of the confused and unhappy
tangle in which they were trapped. They seemed to have neither the will nor the
strength to attempt it.

A
thought occurred to her. "Richard, if you could take him to your club or
to dinner, away from the house and Josie, somewhere he was free to speak
openly, I am certain he will confide in you. I know he spoke to me when we were
alone on Boxing Day, because he had to tell someone; it was too much to bottle
up within him. Do you not think so, my dear? Please, will you try? He is so
miserable, Richard, it is beyond belief!" she cried and he took her in his
arms, comforting her, knowing how deeply she felt her brother's pain.

Her
tears flowed then, not only for Julian, but for her parents. "They have
suffered so much; when William died, I thought Mama would never recover.

After
Julian was born, there were some years of happiness and hope, and now this! It
is not fair," she said and wept, as he held her as he had often done in
the past.

Richard
knew that Cassy's wounds, like those of her parents, would never be completely
healed. Beloved by everyone who knew him, bright, talented, yet unassuming,
William Darcy had lost his young, promising life in a stupid accident that had
devastated them all. It was the type of tragedy from which a family found it
difficult to recover. The Darcys were no exception.

That
it had happened on the day when Richard and Cassy had become engaged, cruelly
cutting short their blissful celebration, had added a sharp poignancy to their
love. Indeed, it had been the first test of it, as Cassy, unable to reach her
grieving parents, had turned to him for comfort and strength to sustain her
through the dreadful days and months that had followed.

After
the first shock of her brother's death, one of Cassy's worst fears had been
that the lack of a male heir to her father's estate may mean that she would
have to inherit Pemberley. It was the very last thing she wanted.

With
the birth a few years later of Julian, that fear at least had passed and Cassy
had taught her young brother everything he needed to know to be the next Master
of Pemberley.

But
now, with Julian's life falling apart, it seemed she was going to be at the
centre of it once more. Her parents would expect it of her and so would the
community. It was a prospect that unsettled and alarmed her. Richard did his
best to reassure her, promising to speak with her brother when he took Lizzie
to stay with them.

Grateful
for his strength, love, and consistent kindness, she let him persuade her that
all was not lost.

"Look
at it this way, my love, if Josie has not left her husband because of the boy,
it is clear she loves the child and may well stay with him--and while she
stays, there is hope they may be reconciled," he said, and though he
sounded rather less confident this time, Cassy wanted to believe it was true.
It was the only comfort she had.

*

They
had a particularly fine Spring day for their visit to Rushmore Farm.

Mr.
Carr rode down to meet them and accompany the party along the road to Lambton
and thence to Rushmore Farm. Mr. Carr and Darcy Gardiner, on horseback, rode
ahead of them as Richard, Cassy, their two daughters, and young James followed
in the open carriage.

The
sun was warm, and there was the merest whisper of a breeze as they made their
way towards the river and across the bridge. With the trees in bloom and the
meadows flushed green and gold with new growth, the countryside looked as
pretty as a painting. Laura Ann exclaimed at the carpet of wild flowers under
the trees.

When
they came over the crest of a small hill and had their first glimpse of the
house, its windows gleaming as they caught the morning sun, Lizzie was
overwhelmed by the change in the old place. She could only remember Will
Camden's place as a rambling old house with dark timbers and dull grey walls.
Now, as the house welcomed them with its polished shutters and white painted
walls, the transformation was remarkable. Richard and Cassy were most
favourably impressed. The old Georgian house was back to looking its best.

"This
is very impressive, Mr. Carr," said Richard, and Mr. Carr was clearly
gratified. "It is no mansion, sir, I grant you, but I think it is handsome
enough,"

he
said modestly.

As
they went indoors, Cassy echoed her husband's words. "I must congratulate
you on the fine work you have done throughout, Mr. Carr. I see you have still
to complete the refurbishment of the rooms," she said and was immediately
asked if she would advise on colours and fabrics for drapes and blinds. Work
had been completed on only two of the larger rooms and one bedroom upstairs, he
confessed; the guest rooms and other living areas remained to be done.

"I
have need of more advice before I undertake any changes," he explained, as
they entered a large room with an enormous fireplace and bay windows that
provided a very pretty view across the water meadows to the river beyond.

"And
what have you in mind for this room?" asked Cassy and, before he could
reply, Lizzie, who was following them, spoke her thoughts aloud.

"This
is such a fine room, with so much light and space; it could be a place where an
entire family could spend time in whatever interests and pursuits took their
fancy. One might read or sew, another could play the pianoforte or join in a
game of cards and still not get in each other's way; indeed, it is an ideal
recreation room," she said and Laura, who had been listening, asked,
"But Mr. Carr does not have a family, Lizzie, what use would it be to
him?"

"Hush,
Laura," said Cassy, and Mr. Carr made some lighthearted remark about the
possibility of a family using the room in the future, but poor Lizzie was so
disconcerted, she could not say another word. Moving to the windows she gazed
out at the view, while she heard her sister ask, "Do you hope to have a
family, Mr. Carr?" at which the gentleman, who laughed too readily to be
comfortable, Lizzie thought, rambled on saying something that sounded like
"Is that not the hope of every man, Miss Laura?"

Lizzie
prayed that Laura would ask no more questions and, to her great relief, her
brother Darcy came in and demanded to be taken to see the new foals in the stables
and that, mercifully, was the end of it.

Everyone
trooped down to the meadow, where the horses were either tethered or allowed to
canter freely around the paddock, while in the stables were the mares with
their foals. The enthusiasm with which these endearing creatures were greeted
and the excitement of being allowed to stroke them and hand feed them ensured
that the awkwardness of the previous few minutes was soon forgotten.

By
the time they returned to the house for refreshments, which had been laid out
on trestle tables covered with crisp white tablecloths under the ancient oak
tree, the day was considerably warmer and everyone was cheerful. Mr. Carr,
playing host, was ready to put them all at ease, plying them with food and
recounting stories of his sojourn in America.

Later,
they went indoors and, after dinner, which was a simple rather than sumptuous
meal, they withdrew to the parlour, where stood a pianoforte, a beautiful old
instrument, only recently delivered.

Lizzie
and her sister were persuaded to play and sing for them. Lizzie was an
accomplished performer, with many years of dedicated study, while Laura sang
with a youthful enthusiasm that usually made up for any lack of style.

After
their short recital, Mr. Carr joined them, revealing his own very acceptable
talent, as he played and sang, gathering the rest of the company around and
encouraging them to join in. Richard and Cassy had not sung together for years,
yet with some gentle persuasion, found themselves involved in this most
pleasing entertainment, which left them feeling very nostalgic indeed.

To
an observer, it would have appeared to be a happy, almost carefree occasion,
but both Cassandra and her husband carried a heavy burden of anxiety and, to
them, this was but a delightful interlude.

Returning
home that night, there was much praise for Mr. Carr; his hospitality and
manners were pronounced perfect and, of course, all the remarkable work he had
accomplished at Rushmore Farm deserved their highest accolades.

Dr
Gardiner commented upon the improvement to the value of the property; young
Darcy thought the stud would be much better managed by the new steward, Mr.
Boyden; and Cassy claimed she had been most impressed with the tasteful
refurbishment of the rooms downstairs.

"It
has been done with simplicity and restraint, without compromising the character
of the old building. He would certainly have Papa's approval and, as you know,
that is not lightly given."

Her
husband agreed and, because Lizzie had been quiet and said nothing at all, he
asked, "And what did you like best, Lizzie?"

When
her daughter took a while to answer, Cassy wondered whether she was being
inordinately coy. She had noted that their host had complimented her upon her
performance at the pianoforte; he had gone over to the instrument and taken out
some sheet music, which he had invited Lizzie to try, but Cassy had overheard
Lizzie refuse politely, claiming she needed to practice before she could
perform a new composition. Whereupon, Mr. Carr had given her the music and
urged her to take it with her to practice at home, assuring her it was only a
trifling little French melody, but a pretty one. Cassy heard him say he was
quite sure she would master it easily.

She
had not heard him say, as he escorted them to their carriage, when they were
leaving, "Miss Gardiner, I hope I will have the pleasure before too long
of hearing you sing 'Les Petites Oiseaux,'" and on hearing her answer that
she would do her best to master it, he had added, "I shall certainly look
forward to it."

As
it happened, when Lizzie answered, "I think, Mama, I liked the garden
best; it's so natural and wild looking," her mother smiled indulgently and
said,

"That
is because Mr. Carr has not had the time to tame it yet. Will Camden's mother
designed the gardens around Rushmore Farm, but neither Will nor his wife ever
took much interest in them. No doubt Mr. Carr, when he has completed work on
the house, will turn his attention to the rather unruly grounds that surround
it."

Lizzie
said nothing, but in her heart, she hoped Mr. Carr would do nothing of the
sort. She wished he would leave it just as he had found it. The untamed
woodlands that seemed almost about to encroach upon the farm and the tranquil
water meadows were home to a myriad of wild creatures. They had a special
beauty that appealed to her sensibility.

"Oh
dear," she thought, hearing her mother's words, "I do hope Mr. Carr
will not go out one day and have it all chopped down and get some expensive
landscape designer from London to put in a lot of pools and shrubs and silly
statues in its place. That would be just dreadful!"

They
were to leave for Cambridge on the Monday following, but one of the horses was
sick and needed attention, causing the journey to be postponed by a day or two.
Fortuitously, it seemed, Mr. Carr who was also travelling on that day, but only
to Derby, called in to wish them a safe journey. When invited to take tea with
them before proceeding on his way, he accepted with some alacrity.

Cassandra,
being busy with arrangements for her husband's departure, greeted him, asked
that tea be served in the morning room, and left him with Lizzie and her
brother, while she went upstairs. Richard was making some notes for Edward
about a patient who might have need of medication in his absence and, as she
watched him, it was all Cassy could do to hold back her tears. She knew in her
heart that his journey, undertaken chiefly to please her parents, was unlikely
to result in anything more than the confirmation of the depressing news she had
already received from her brother.

Earlier,
she had counselled her daughter, urging her to write and keep her mother
informed of any developments taking place in her uncle's household.

She
did not have much hope that circumstances would change for the better; she
could only pray they would not get much worse.

Meanwhile,
downstairs, Mr. Carr, having taken tea, was preparing to leave; Lizzie had just
told him how much she had liked the grounds around Rushmore Farm.