Mr. Darcy's Daughter (49 page)

But
his mother, ever vigilant, unwilling to have her children overburdened with
superlatives and unrealistic expectations, was cautious. She urged her family
to remember that Darcy had no experience in the management of an estate; he
would need to learn everything, and there may be some difficult lessons along
the way. Not too many of the others were as concerned.

In
an age when many young men seemed to prefer to fritter away their time at
gaming tables, theatres, and clubs of dubious repute, the Gardiners had been
fortunate in both their sons. While Edward was such a model of professional
practice and rectitude as to be almost dull, Darcy, in spite of the
opportunities for lax living that London provided for a good-looking young man
with an adequate allowance and pleasing ways, had retained an enviable
reputation for honour and integrity. His parents had occasionally been
concerned that he might not be working very hard at his studies, but never had
they had any reason to question his conduct.

On
returning home and retiring to their bedroom, Cassandra, though tired, was
feeling elated. She could find no logical explanation for her mood, except that
it had been one of those very special days when she felt that everyone she
loved had been happy and content. Well, not everyone, she thought, recalling
her unhappy brother, Julian, in France, alone, immersing himself in his
research to blot out the anguish of his loss.

When
her husband came to bed, she asked him if he had known of her father's offer to
Darcy and whether he approved of it. He told her truthfully that he'd had no
inkling of Mr. Darcy's plans until they were announced at dinner.

"I
was as surprised as the rest of the company, except Darcy and your Mama, of
course, they knew all along," he said. "But now it is generally
known, there seems to be genuine pleasure and goodwill among the family and I
think it seems like a very sound scheme," and then, in a voice that was
rather more serious than usual at this time of night, he continued, "I
will admit, I have had some concerns, with which I have not wished to trouble
you, Cassy, that Darcy was uncertain about his future. I know he is very keen on
going into Parliament, but he is very young and may not get endorsement at this
stage.

"Moreover,
with the Tories in government, I cannot see him wanting to stand, at least
until there is some chance of his beloved Mr. Gladstone winning an election and
becoming Prime Minister. That being the case, I have felt that for most of this
year, our son has been somewhat at sea about his future. It is surely time he
settled into an occupation."

Cassy
confessed that, while she had not been too concerned, she also had noticed her
son's interest in standing for Parliament waning in recent times.

With
the return of the Tories, something of the excitement had gone out of politics
for young Darcy.

"In
which case, do you believe that Papa's idea of having him manage Pemberley will
be beneficial for him at this time?" she asked and Richard replied with
undisguised enthusiasm, "Indeed, I do. I have no doubt that is how your
father sees it, too. If Darcy does plan to enter Parliament, sometime in the
future, he will do his chances of success no harm at all by serving out his
time in waiting managing a property like Pemberley.

"It
will teach him many skills, especially the ability to see both sides of an
argument; he will appreciate the concerns of both landholders and tenant
farmers. Better still, it will keep him in contact with the concerns and
aspirations of ordinary people, instead of sitting around Westminster merely
listening to fine speeches or frequenting bars and coffeehouses."

Clearly
Richard was as pleased as her father had been with the situation.

His
wife had to agree that her husband's arguments were convincing and, though it
had never occurred to her as the sort of work Darcy would want to do, she now
saw all the good that could come of it.

When,
some days later, she wrote to her cousin Emma, telling her the news, she
expressed her pleasure in no uncertain terms...

Dearest
Emma, I know you will be as happy as we are about this arrangement, though
perhaps James will miss him at Westminster. He may not have as much time to
spare as before, but I do know he is so devoted to Mr Gladstone and the Reform
Movement, that it will not be possible to keep him away when the next election
comes around.

Meanwhile,
I must confess I am looking forward to seeing him at home for more of the time,
though as my father has planned it, Darcy will be spending most of his time at
Pemberley.

Tonight,
however, having set that issue aside, there was yet another matter that needed
resolution. Though it was very late, Cassandra decided that she was going to
raise the subject. It had been on her mind for a while and she wanted her
husband's advice.

"Richard,
do you not think, dearest, that we ought, at the least, to visit the Camden
Estate? If we do not, Papa may be hurt by our lack of interest in his generous
gift," she said, in a complete change of mood that surprised him,
following her strong opposition to Mr. Darcy's plan.

"Mama
has mentioned that they had been to dinner at Camden House, a week before the
deal was done, and she thought the recent refurbishments made by Sir Thomas
were of the very highest standard, he had clearly spared no expense. Mama said
she thought it was a great pity, because he was not going to enjoy it for long,
but then, Papa had said, he hoped
we
might do so, one day.

Perhaps
we should at least pay a visit?" she suggested.

Her
husband had been about to extinguish the light, but on hearing her words,
stopped and turned to look at her, with a smile.

"Cassy,
my love, you must be blessed with second sight. Why, I was going to tell you
tomorrow at breakfast; your father has already given me the keys to the house.
He told me as we were leaving that he had arranged for the steward and the
housekeeper to show us around the property. It being Sunday tomorrow, I thought
we might drive over after church, just the two of us in the curricle, and have
a guided tour of the estate. How would you like that?" he asked.

Cassandra
was pleased beyond measure.

Since
her father's announcement, she had begun to feel that she had been rather
churlish and ungrateful, like a spoilt child refusing to play with a present
because it did not suit her at the time. She was still unsure that she would
ever want to move permanently to live at Camden House, but she did not wish to
offend her parents, who were clearly overjoyed at being able to gift it to
them.

And
so it was settled; they were to go to Camden House tomorrow.

Sunday
brought one of those Autumn mornings in England that inspire poets and painters
to great creative heights. Mild and mellow in every respect, it was the right
sort of day to be visiting Camden Park, where the sweetness of nature
predominated without and was only enhanced by the art within. Though less than
half the size of Pemberley or Chatsworth, the great estates which dominated
this part of the county, the Camden Estate occupied one of the prettiest sites
in Derbyshire. It lay in a fertile, alluring little dale, at the confluence of
the Rivers Derwent and Wye at Rowsley, which then, together, formed the
boundary between Camden Park and Pemberley, before flowing through several
gorges and woodlands on their way to join the Trent near Derby.

Originally
owned as one estate by the two Camden brothers, it had later been divided into
the Rushmore Farm and Stud and the Camden Park Estate.

While
William Camden had taken on Rushmore Farm from his father and subsequently sold
it to Mr. Carr, Sir Thomas and his second wife had been childless and the
unentailed estate was sold by private agreement to Mr. Darcy, who was well
aware that his long friendship with Sir Thomas had helped him obtain a most
valuable property.

Aside
from its worth as an asset, however, it had a singular charm, which could not
fail to captivate anyone with an appreciation of such places. Cassandra
Gardiner was no exception; she was enchanted.

The
housekeeper, Mrs. Wills, was a youngish woman, not much older than Cassy
herself. She was the daughter of Mrs. Bolton, who had held the position for
thirty years. Together with the steward, she showed the new owners around every
part of the property they wished to see. And of everything she saw, Cassy had
to approve, for it was all so pleasing, so tastefully appointed and well cared
for. Every aspect of Camden Park seemed intended to increase her pleasure. Not
only did its grounds, with the vistas of moun-tains in the distance, and its
delightful park and rose garden bring joy to her heart, the house itself was a
treasure.

Nowhere
as magnificent as Pemberley in scale, it was everywhere as pleasurable to the
discerning eye, with windows affording superb views of the grounds and the
surrounding countryside and each well-proportioned, handsome room, elegantly
furnished with appropriate pieces and accessories.

Nothing
grated, everything was in harmony.

The
housekeeper had informed them that the late Lady Camden had been both a painter
and a pianist of some proficiency, with a great love of the fine arts, which
fact was demonstrated, when on going upstairs, they were admitted to the music
room. As Cassy entered the room, it took her breath away.

Nowhere,
not even at Pemberley, was there such an exquisite room, where the beauty of
both nature and art had been so sweetly married.

High,
wide windows provided a panoramic vision of the grounds, sweeping out over the
park to the river and the hills in the distance. A most felicitous setting for
the handsome Regency furniture, the fine collection of art works and the piece
de resistance--an elegant instrument--an Italian pianoforte, indeed, everything
was as close to perfection as one could hope to see.

Cassy
was overwhelmed. She was standing beside the piano, looking out across the lawn
to the rose garden, when Mrs. Wills excused herself, leaving them to enjoy the
ambience of the room for a while. "Oh Richard, I love this room," she
said softly, turning to her husband. "This house is more beautiful than I
ever imagined it would be." Standing behind her, he asked, "Do you
believe you could love it well enough to want to live here one day?"

She
answered slowly and deliberately, "I have to confess, I am not as much
against the idea as I was; much as I love our home, this is the most perfect
place.

How
did
Sir Thomas have the
heart to part with it? However, I still feel somewhat daunted by the prospect
of making it our home; it seems almost too grand for me."

Richard
moved closer, so that only she would hear his words, and said, "Too grand
for
Lady
Cassandra
Gardiner?"

"What?"
Cassy gasped and tried to turn to face her husband, but his arm was around her
waist and he was holding her so close, she could not look up at his face.
Looking out at the garden, she spoke in a whisper, "What did you say?

Are
you teasing me again? Please tell me, Richard, what did you mean?"

"I
meant just what I said, no more, no less."

"And
does that mean you have been offered a..."

He
put his hand very lightly over her mouth. "Sssh, my darling, we do not
want the whole village talking about it, before I receive the citation, do
we?"

At
last, he relaxed his hold and she succeeded in turning her head to look at him
and, seeing his face and the smile that she knew so well, she believed he was
serious. He had been offered a knighthood.

"And
have you accepted?" she whispered.

"I
have, just yesterday."

This
time he could not stop her; as she turned around and kissed him, he held her in
a close embrace, knowing how deeply happy she would be for him, having
supported him in his work over many years. For Cassy, this was an undreamed-of
honour; yet, one she knew her husband deserved in full measure.

Mrs.
Wills, returning just moments after they had drawn apart, invited them to
return downstairs and take tea. As they followed her, they saw, from the
window, Mr. Darcy and his two grandsons, James and Anthony, alighting from a
carriage that had drawn up at the entrance.

Cassy
held tight to her husband's hand and asked, "Does Papa know?"

"I
intend to give him the news tonight," Richard replied, and Cassy said,
quietly but in a firm voice, "Well then, Sir Richard, it will be a night
for good news, I think. I am sure Papa will be even happier to learn that I
shall look forward very much to being the Mistress of Camden Park in the New
Year."

One
glance at her husband's face was sufficient to let her see how pleased he was.

As
they descended the stairs, they saw Mr. Darcy and the boys enter the hall.
There never was a prouder grandfather.

"Ah,"
he said, catching sight of them on the stairs, "there you are, I
am
glad to find you still here; it saves me
driving to Matlock. Cassy, your Mama has some good news about a particular
piece of material you were seeking, was it French lace? I believe it has to do
with Lizzie's wedding gown." And as Cassy nodded eagerly, he said,
"Well, she would like you to come over today and see if it is what you
want. And when you do, seeing you must eat somewhere, why do you not stay to
dinner?"