Mr. Darcy's Daughter (51 page)

As
for young Lizzie, she was having her hair arranged, on the morning of her
wedding day, with her maid still fussing over her, when there was a gentle
knock on the door and her father came in with Julian.

Within
seconds, uncle and niece had embraced, with no thought for his well-pressed
coat or her fine French lace gown, both of which were in grave danger of being
crumpled. Her maid cried out to her mistress to mind her gown and urged care
with her hair.

Julian
released her and stepped back to look at his niece. "Why Lizzie, you have
turned into such a beauty!" he declared, as she turned around for him and
showed off her gown. "I never noticed until today how lovely you were. I
daresay it comes of having my nose buried in a book and my eyes squinting down
a microscope, eh?" he remarked in the self-deprecating way that was so
typical of him.

Lizzie
coloured and laughed lightly to hide her blushes. "You look very well
yourself, Uncle," she said, "and I must thank you with all my heart
for coming today, all the way from France. When we had not heard, we feared we
may not see you."

Julian
shook his head and took her hand in his.

"After
all you did for me, dear Lizzie, I could not have stayed away. I had to come,
if only to show you how much I did appreciate those days you spent with
us..." His voice trailed away sadly, but then, he smiled and leaning
forward, kissed her gently on the cheek, and said softly, "You are indeed
your mother's daughter, my dear; your Mr. Carr is a very fortunate man."

As
he left the room, Cassandra met him on the landing; the mother of the bride was
busier than ever, unable to leave it all to the very efficient staff at
Pemberley, as her father and her husband had advised her to do. As brother and
sister embraced, this time Julian carefully avoided crushing the beautiful
corsage she wore, and she said, "Julian, I am so happy you could come. I
had hoped and prayed, but I was never certain."

Once
again he reiterated his words to Lizzie, "How could I not come, Cassy? Not
after all you and Richard and, above all, young Lizzie did for us. I had to
come."

"Have
you seen Anthony?" she asked, and when he said he had not, "You will
be surprised at how much he has grown these last few months. I shall take you
to see him, but you must go to Papa and Mama first."

"Will
you go with me, Cassy? I fear my sudden appearance may upset Mama." He was
plainly nervous and concerned.

But
Cassy took his arm, reassuring him, "Have no fear on that score; I shall
certainly go with you, but they are expecting you. Like you, I feared the
surprise may have been too much for Mama and I did not wish her to weep on
Lizzie's big day, so I brought your letter over to them; Julian, you should
have seen their happiness."

As
her husband waited for her at the top of the stairs, Cassy took her brother to
her parents' apartments.

Richard
knew how eagerly she had anticipated this moment. It had almost overshadowed
the joy of Lizzie's wedding.

"Of
course Lizzie's wedding is important, but I have no fears for her today;
however, had Julian not arrived, as has happened on some occasions, his absence
would have meant bitter disappointment for all of us, including Lizzie and
especially for Papa and Mama," she had explained, reasonably. "Now he
is here, it will serve to double the joy of her wedding day. Do you not agree,
my love?"

And
of course, he did.

Enhancing
his happiness, as he watched her, was the memory of their own wedding day at
Pemberley several years ago. Having had to wait, through force of
circumstances, an inordinately long time for each other, their marriage had
brought them such deep and abiding joy as neither had believed possible. So
many years later, the sight of her could lift his spirits and make his heart
race with love for her. They shared a very special intimacy.

When
Cassy returned, having left Julian with their parents, she smiled as she
approached; he held out his hand to her and drew her to his side as they waited
for the bride.

No
one present could have failed to perceive the happiness that welled up and
spilled over the gathered family and their friends, as they entered the church,
led by Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, with Julian and Cassy beside them.

William
Courtney was there to play the organ and the choir of Pemberley children rose
to sing, as Lizzie Gardiner arrived with her father at the church door.

As
heads turned to see the bride, Cassandra could not bear to look, for fear that
she would weep; yet she wished with all her heart that this wedding would be,
as her own had been those many years ago, the beginning of a good marriage,
conceived in love, nurtured with trust, and sustained with strength.

If
little Lizzie's marriage could only be half as felicitous as her mother's had
been all these years, Cassy knew her daughter would be a very happy woman
indeed.

END
OF PART THREE

An Epilogue...

THE
WEDDING WAS OVER and, though there weren't many rose petals available this late
in the year, there was no dearth of affection and goodwill for the couple who
left Pemberley on their wedding journey.

It
was generally thought that they were bound for the South coast. Some who
claimed to know said Bournemouth and others whispered that it was Paris;
however, unbeknownst to any but their closest confidantes, Mr. Carr and his
bride had planned to spend their wedding night, not at some hostelry en route
to the South coast, but at Rushmore Farm.

The
plan had come about simply and without fuss, when the couple had been walking
in the woods around the farm. As they remembered her first visit to his home,
when she had been enchanted by the woods and water meadows and had begged him
never to fell the trees or drain the meadows, Mr. Carr had asked with some
trepidation, "Seeing how much we love this place, my dearest, how would it
be if we were to spend the night of our wedding here, in our own home?"

Aware
of her youth and gentle upbringing, he had expected some reluctance, a little
shyness perhaps, and was concerned that she might think he was being too bold.
To his delight, her response surprised him with its warmth and candour. After taking
very little time to consider the implications of his suggestion, Lizzie had
said quietly, "I must confess that I cannot think of any place I Rebecca
Ann Collins

would
like better to spend our wedding night," and added quickly, "It would
surely be a much happier choice than some hotel, would it not?"

He
could not agree more and they confirmed their compliance on this intimate
matter with a kiss that expressed unreservedly the depth of their love. In the
course of a year, their relationship had deepened from an amiable friendship to
the realization that life apart from one another would be insupportable. Their
wedding was only the beginning; they looked forward to their life together with
hope of the deepest felicity.

And
there, we need not trespass; for it is neither necessary nor seemly for prying
eyes to follow them. Such tender expressions of love as they would surely
indulge in are too intimate and personal to warrant intrusion; it would be
considered so grave a breach of decorum and good manners, as to be very vulgar
indeed.

Imagination,
on the other hand, is free and unfettered; discreet and sensitive readers may
use their own as they wish. Suffice it to say, there was no lack of ardent love
between this happy pair, nor was there any reluctance to express it.

*

After
the wedding, Cassandra and Richard Gardiner stayed over at Pemberley, as did
Julian Darcy. There was no mistaking the satisfaction this brought Mr. and Mrs.
Darcy, whose distress at losing their daughter-in-law had been exacerbated by
their son's decision to renounce his inheritance and continue his work in
France.

Their
ability to understand Julian's anguish and assuage their own had been greatly
assisted by their daughter's love, as well as the sensibility and support of
their son-in-law, Dr Gardiner. On this, the happiest day the family had known
in many months, to have them all together at Pemberley was a very particular
pleasure and each of the members of the company gathered there knew it well.

For
the first time since his wife's tragic involvement with Messrs Barrett and
Jones, leading to her untimely death, Julian Darcy appeared to be at peace with
himself. Clearly happy at being able to participate in the celebration of his
niece's wedding, and with much satisfaction in his work in bacteriological
research, he seemed less haunted by his past inadequacies.

He
had, for some years, been secretive and uncommunicative, using the
confidentiality of his work as an excuse for saying very little about his own
plans to even the closest members of his family. This time, however, both
Richard and Mr. Darcy found Julian more than willing to talk at length about
his research and even, on occasion, to disclose some of his hopes for the
future.

"I
have been invited by two of my French colleagues to travel with them to the
French colonies in Africa and the Pacific, where there is much work yet to be
done in the field of bacterial infections. Large numbers of children die of
respiratory or intestinal diseases and research into their prevention could
help save many lives. I believe the French government is prepared to fund our
work in the colonies, and it would be an excellent opportunity for me to do
what I can to help these unfortunate people," he explained.

His
mother, hearing some of the conversation, appeared perturbed at the prospect of
her son journeying in parts of the world where he was bound to be at greater
risk than if he had remained in England or even in France. But with Cassy at
her side to blunt the edge of her concerns, Elizabeth was wise enough to make
no protest, content to wait until she could learn more from Mr. Darcy or Julian
himself.

She
had been delighted to discover, earlier in the day, that he planned to remain
at Pemberley a fortnight, during which time he hoped to spend time with his
parents and his young son. "I think Richard and Cassy have done wonders
for Anthony," he had said, and as they talked together, there was much to
console his mother in his gentle and amiable manner. Elizabeth was pleased by
his expressions of concern for her and his father. Perhaps, she thought, Julian
has found a way to overcome his guilt through his work.

When
she spoke of this to her husband later that night, Mr. Darcy agreed, but added
that it was even more probable that their son had finally discovered his true
vocation.

"It
is possible, my dear Lizzie, that Julian does not see the management of a
family estate as his role in life. I do not mean by this to suggest that he
belit-tles it or that he thinks it is an unworthy occupation, but Julian has
always looked beyond Pemberley for his place in the world and, perhaps, he has
found it, at last," said Mr. Darcy.

"Like
Richard, he is dedicated to the prevention of disease and the reduction of
human suffering; the difference--and in this we and Cassy are particularly fortunate--is
that Richard is concerned with the application of his research to hospitals and
patients in England, whereas Julian looks further afield and, seeing much
suffering elsewhere, feels he must go where he is needed."

"You
speak almost in terms that would describe a missionary," said Elizabeth,
her anxious eyes searching her husband's face for reassurance that her son
would be safe.

But
Mr. Darcy could give her no such comfort. He knew only too well the risks that
attend those who would travel to distant lands.

Tales
told of men who had ventured to places like Africa and South America were
legion and yet, knowing her fears, he said gently, "Indeed I do, my love,
and how well you have understood my meaning. In time, Julian will be blessed
with far greater contentment than any English landlord can hope to achieve. For
while we may care for those who live and work upon our estates, we take few
risks, other than those of a commercial nature, and none of us are called upon
to imperil our lives in doing so. Men like Julian do just that, not for the
money or the glory, but for the much greater satisfaction of easing the burden
of human suffering. It is a noble enterprise, Lizzie, we must be proud of him and
give him every encouragement."

Elizabeth
was a little astonished at the passion with which her husband spoke, until he
revealed that Julian had explained to him the extent of the misery that
afflicted vast populations in the colonies, who had no access at all to any
kind of medical treatment, relying for the most part on primitive remedies with
often fatal consequences.

"So
you see, my dear, Julian knows he must go," he said, and Elizabeth could
not but agree, even though in her heart she was still fearful.

She
could only hope and pray her son would be safe.

*

A
similar conversation was taking place between Cassandra and her husband, as
they prepared for bed, on a day filled with many delights. There was, however,
but one difference. Cassy had already spoken with her brother and was well
prepared for the news that he was about to undertake a research project in
Equatorial Africa. Not only was she aware of his plans, she had encouraged him.