In the Wilds of Derbyshire Read online

  When they had climbed a hill of some natural prominence, the woods to the left side of the road fell away, opening out into a little valley. There, in the center, like a large jewel set into a pendant, stood a large, handsome building, overlooking a lake and a winding stream gleaming in the distance. Elizabeth gasped; this was a house beside which Netherfield, the largest estate near Meryton, paled by comparison. No wonder Miss Bingley desired to be mistress of this place above all other things.

  “That is Pemberley?” asked her cousin, her voice strangled with disbelief.

  “I believe it must be,” said Elizabeth. “Unless the coachman does not know the road to return to his master’s estate.”

  A giggle escaped Olivia’s lips, though she attempted a severe look to cover her mirth. Elizabeth’s comment served its purpose, however, as she noticed that Olivia was relaxed rather than disbelieving about the fineness of the house.

  “Do not say such things, Lizzy,” whispered Olivia. “I am certain I shall burst out laughing and make a fool of myself!”

  “Do not worry, dearest,” replied Elizabeth. “I am certain you will do very well. Miss Darcy does not strike me as the kind of girl to judge.”

  The carriage, by now, was proceeding down the long drive which led to the entrance of the house, and the closer they came, the grander it appeared. It was a three-story building, situated on a little rise near the lake, which would protect it should the spring rains be heavy enough to overflow the banks. It was built of stone and boasted two long wings to either side of the main entrance, with large, spacious windows. Just to the rear of the house, she could see the beginnings of a formal garden and, perhaps, a hedge maze, which promised to be delightful. Here and there, leading off into the trees, Elizabeth could see the beginnings of several paths, leading Elizabeth to believe that the walks were extensive. How much she would like to walk those paths, to become as familiar with them as those who lived in this magnificent place!

  Elizabeth reined in her emotions, cautioning herself against excited displays, and avoiding the appearance of covetousness. This house, no matter how large and imposing, was nothing more than a home to their hostess, and Elizabeth well knew how tasteless a person could appear if they displayed an unseemly level of enthusiasm when touring another’s home. Mr. Collins’s performance when he had come to Longbourn was certainly not an example she wished to imitate!

  At length, the coach stopped in front of those imposing double doors, and there on the steps waiting for them was Georgiana Darcy. The girl was dressed in an elegant but simple gown of yellow, showing yet again that even having been raised amid great wealth, she was naught but a young girl, and one who was shy at that. The step was lowered for them, and Elizabeth and Olivia were helped from the carriage by the footman, and they approached their hostess.

  “Miss Darcy,” said Elizabeth with a smile and a curtsey. “How do you do?”

  “Miss Bennet, Miss Drummond,” said Miss Darcy, returning her gesture. “I am very happy to see you. Welcome to Pemberley.”

  “We are happy to be here,” said Olivia. “Thank you for inviting us.”

  A grin settled over Miss Darcy’s face, though she ducked her head in apparent embarrassment. “Come, let us go inside. I have been anticipating your visit since word arrived yesterday that you had accepted. I am so excited!”

  They were led into an entry hall, large and imposing like everything else about this place. A massive stairway led up to the upper apartments, wide and spacious, and there were passages leading away from the room in every direction. Elizabeth thought that she could become quite lost in this place very quickly if she had no guide!

  Miss Darcy led them away to the left, where they passed a short distance down a hall which stretched off some ways, until she opened a door to a room set against the front of the house. Inside was a lovely arrangement of furniture, tastefully elegant and well-constructed, and on the far wall stood a fine pianoforte. The sunlight shone into the room from the large bank of windows, making it light and pleasing, a truly lovely room. There they were introduced to a handsome older woman by the name of Mrs. Annesley, Miss Darcy’s companion.

  “So this is the infamous pianoforte of which you have told us,” said Elizabeth, after the pleasantries with Mrs. Annesley had been exchanged. “It does appear to be a superior instrument, but I believe I would like to judge based on hearing you play.”

  “Perhaps you would like a turn on it yourself,” said Miss Darcy.

  Elizabeth laughed. “But Miss Bingley has informed us of just how accomplished you are. I doubt my poor attempts could possibly measure up to your talents.”

  “You are familiar with Miss Bingley?” asked Mrs. Annesley in a way which led Elizabeth to believe that the woman suspected her of being of similar ilk. She had obviously had enough contact with the woman to be disapproving of her, though her manner could not be said to be disrespectful.

  “I am, indeed,” said Elizabeth. “Miss Bingley, you see, came to the neighborhood in which I was raised last autumn, when her brother leased an estate adjacent to my father’s. Earlier this year, my elder sister, Jane, was married to Mr. Bingley.” Elizabeth turned to Georgiana with chagrin, saying: “I know I mentioned this before, Miss Darcy, but I now have a permanent connection with Miss Bingley. If you do not wish to associate with me any longer, I understand.”

  Olivia gasped, but Miss Darcy burst out laughing at Elizabeth’s jest, and even Mrs. Annesley, who appeared to be somewhat less amused than her charge, still nodded at Elizabeth.

  “You are very droll, Miss Bennet,” said Miss Darcy. “But though a connection with Miss Bingley is, indeed, a serious drawback, I believe I will maintain your acquaintance.”

  “Miss Darcy,” said Mrs. Annesley in a warning tone.

  “I apologize for making such a jest, Mrs. Annesley,” interjected Elizabeth. “I understand and applaud your desire to teach your charge proper manners. But since you are obviously aware of the . . . want of subtlety in Miss Bingley’s behavior, I wished to assure you that I do not behave in a similar way. I will not praise Mr. Darcy to the skies, nor will I ingratiate myself with his sister to promote myself to him.”

  “Very well, Miss Bennet,” said Mrs. Annesley. “Let us leave the subject, then.”

  “I have heard from my brother,” said Georgiana, eagerly grasping at Mrs. Annesley’s suggestion, “that it is possible that Mr. Bingley and his new wife will visit Pemberley this summer. Perhaps your visit will coincide with your sister’s.”

  “Mr. Bingley mentioned the possibility to me as well,” said Elizabeth, avoiding the thought of her sister. “I hope they do come, for I will be happy to see them.

  “Now, since we are in the music room, what say you of music? Do you have a favorite composer?”

  It turned out that Elizabeth’s choice of subject was an inspired one, for Miss Georgiana Darcy was a music enthusiast and was more than happy to speak of her great love for it, forgetting all about the thorny subject of Elizabeth’s elder sister. And it was clear that the girl was knowledgeable too, and her opinions were near enough to Elizabeth’s that there was something of which to discuss.

  “Bach, without a doubt,” said Miss Darcy. “His harmonies are sublime, and his music is a joy to play. I have been practicing his Toccata and Fugue in D Minor recently, though I will own that I still require practice.”

  “I am not much familiar with Bach,” said Elizabeth, “though I have heard the Toccata and Fugue. You have just revealed the disparity in our levels of ability. I would hesitate to even attempt the Fugue. The Prelude in C Major is much more gratifying, for I can actually play it!”

  “Lizzy has been teaching me to play,” said Olivia in a quiet voice. “I still have much to learn, but I find that I am enjoying it very much.”

  “Then your talents must not be nearly as modest as you would have us believe,” said Miss Darcy to Elizabeth. “To take on a student is no small matter.”

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sp; Elizabeth laughed. “I do not think I would refer to it in such a grandiose manner as having taken on a student. But I do have some small ability, and I am happy to share it.”

  “And who is your favorite composer, Miss Bennet, Miss Drummond?” asked Miss Darcy.

  “I am partial to Mozart and Beethoven,” said Elizabeth.

  “I very much like what I have heard of Herr Mozart,” said Olivia. Elizabeth smiled at her cousin; there had not been much use or time for music in the Drummond residence, and as such, Olivia had relatively little experience.

  “That is an odd duo, is it not, Miss Bennet?” asked Miss Darcy. “Mozart’s style is light and airy, and some might even suggest unserious. No one could ever consider Beethoven unserious.”

  “On the surface, yes,” said Elizabeth with good humor. “But underneath Mozart’s soaring, airy melodies, I fancy I can hear his love of music, though his style is for the most part light. But when Mozart’s style gets a little too much, it is lovely to turn to Beethoven and enjoy his grander and more serious style.”

  “Well said, Miss Bennet,” murmured Mrs. Annesley. Elizabeth exchanged a look with the other woman, and had the sense that she had stated the companion’s opinion on the matter with succinctness.

  The conversation wound on from there, touching on different aspects of music and performance, and she was happy to listen to Miss Darcy—though she did so with an air of self-consciousness. In fact, Miss Darcy was quite talented, in Elizabeth’s opinion—much more than she was herself. If the girl made any mistakes in her playing, Elizabeth was not able to hear them. Furthermore, she played with feeling and verve, displaying a love for the music which could not be feigned.

  By contrast, when Elizabeth played, she felt even more awkward, knowing that her own performance could not measure up to the younger girl’s. And yet, Miss Darcy complimented her so sincerely, assuring her that her playing brought much pleasure.

  When Elizabeth stepped away from the pianoforte, she realized that another had entered the room and was watching them as they interacted around the pianoforte. He was tall and broad-shouldered, a truly large and imposing man, though his countenance shone with good humor. He greeted them all pleasantly and requested an introduction. When Georgiana did the honors, he was revealed to be a cousin, Colonel Anthony Fitzwilliam.

  “In truth, my cousin is no longer a member of the army, for he retired several months ago,” said Miss Darcy with more than a measure of pride. She turned to him and said: “It is well that the custom is to continue to refer to you by your former title, Cousin, for I am so accustomed to thinking of you as a colonel.”

  “I am accustomed to thinking of myself as a colonel,” replied Colonel Fitzwilliam with evident good humor.

  “Oh, it is unfortunate you are not in the army any longer,” said Elizabeth, directing a mischievous grin at him. “My younger sisters admire a man in the scarlet uniform. They would have been pleased to make your acquaintance.”

  “But now,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam, “given I am naught but Mr. Fitzwilliam, I assume I would not be worth their time?”

  Elizabeth laughed. “I see you have seen their like before, sir.”

  “Indeed, I have,” replied he. “Far more often than I would like to confess. My experience tells me there is naught of harm in such girls, but the squeals of delight often grate on the nerves.”

  The tea service Miss Darcy had ordered moments before arrived then, and Colonel Fitzwilliam sat down to tea with them, entertaining them with stories of his time in the regulars. Elizabeth listened with interest and laughed at his words, but she was certain that many of his stories were, at the very least, embellished upon, though she would not accuse him of making them up out of whole cloth.

  Elizabeth did, however, watch Olivia, who appeared to be entranced by Colonel Fitzwilliam’s genial manners and interesting discourse. Olivia seemed to have taken an instant fancy to the man, and though Elizabeth was not affected herself, she could understand why her young and inexperienced cousin would feel so intrigued. She thought of speaking to Olivia on their way home, but she soon decided there was no reason to do so. Girlish infatuation was an affliction? often experienced by young girls, and it would almost certainly fade away with time.

  For her part, Miss Darcy laughed at her cousin’s tales as much as Elizabeth or Olivia did, though she had obviously heard some of them before. Underneath it, Elizabeth thought she sensed a hint of exasperation for him. The girl, though she had been brought up by doting guardians intent upon seeing to her every need, was more than a little lonely, Elizabeth realized. She likely had interacted with few girls her own age and had formed few friendships as a result. Elizabeth had no frame of reference, not having a brother, but though her sisters exasperated her at times, it would be much more difficult to try to share confidences with a much older brother.

  At length, the time for their return arrived, and Elizabeth and Olivia rose to take their leave.

  “Thank you for inviting us, Miss Darcy,” said Elizabeth. “I believe I may speak for us both when I say that we have been happy to make your acquaintance.”

  “I certainly am,” added Olivia. “We live so close together that it is strange we have never met.”

  “I must apologize for my brother,” said Miss Darcy. “He had intended to be here to greet you, but an unexpected situation arose among the tenants to which he was obliged to attend.”

  “We understand. Needs of the estate must take precedence.”

  “And my cousin is nothing if not dutiful,” added Colonel Fitzwilliam.

  “You will see him at the assembly anyway, as he and my cousin will attend.”

  “You will not be attending yourself?” asked Olivia.

  “I am still not out, Miss Drummond. My brother has told me that I might begin to attend some small events next year, but for the present, I do not.”

  “This assembly is to be Olivia’s first,” said Elizabeth.

  “Oh!” said Miss Darcy, clapping her hands. “Then you must tell me of your experience!”

  “I would be happy to,” replied Olivia.

  They made ready to depart and their hostess, in the company of her cousin, escorted them to the entrance where they took their leave. It was with an almost diffidence that Miss Darcy addressed them as they strode down the stairs to the waiting carriage.

  “I look forward to continuing our acquaintance in the future,” said Miss Darcy. The girl hesitated and ducked her head. “In fact, since we are now friends, shall we not dispense with the formalities? I would like very much if you would call me ‘Georgiana,’ if you will afford me the same privilege.”

  “An excellent idea,” said Elizabeth. “My sisters and friends often call me ‘Lizzy,’ but I will answer to ‘Eliza’ as well, if that is what you prefer. My cousin, however, objects to ‘Livy,’ as it sounds too much like my preferred moniker.”

  “Oh, Lizzy!” exclaimed Olivia while Georgiana giggled.

  “Livy and Lizzy, eh?” asked Colonel Fitzwilliam, his eyes gleaming with mirth. “Perhaps you should run away and become actresses. I do not doubt you would be a sensation.”

  “I believe, sir, that I am quite happy where I am,” replied Elizabeth.

  “That is truly the trick, is it not, Miss Bennet?”

  It was, Elizabeth thought, thinking of her aunt and her obvious dissatisfaction with her life and situation. But not wishing to cast a pall on their leave-taking, she pushed such thoughts to the corner of her mind. Before long, she was ensconced with her cousin in the coach headed back toward Kingsdown.

  Chapter VIII

  The next few days passed in much the same manner as many of the previous ones, with the exception that for the first time since Elizabeth had come to Derbyshire, they were subjected to several days of almost constant rain. As a young lady who loved to be out of doors, Elizabeth found the weather trying—it confined her to the house, except for a short constitutional in the immediate
vicinity on the rare occasions when it relented for a time. Soon the ground became a sodden mess, and even that was denied her.

  They did not see Miss Darcy again, but that did not mean that Olivia and Elizabeth did not have much to occupy their time. There were the ever-present tasks which needed to be completed, Olivia’s continuing instruction in both the pianoforte and the dance steps, and the final fittings for their gowns which were to be ready for the assembly.

  Elizabeth was confident that her cousin would acquit herself well on the dance floor, as well as in conversation with the other young ladies who would be attending. It would be some time before she was ready to perform in front of anyone, but she did seem to possess a certain aptitude for the pianoforte, which would blossom if it was nurtured correctly.

  The promise of an assembly was certain to make young maidens, alight with the excitement and expectation of a new experience, eager for the activity to commence. As such, the days leading up to the activity were filled with Olivia’s speculations and anticipation, which, while charming, at times reminded Elizabeth of her younger sisters’ less than proper behavior. She had no fear that Olivia would behave in a like matter, but her constant chatter on the subject wore at Elizabeth’s nerves at times.

  At length, however, the appointed night arrived, and with it, a cessation of the rain. There were still intermittent showers, but the sun had begun to peer through the low cover of clouds, though her uncle opined that it would likely be at least a day or two before the sun began to shine in earnest. That evening, the four eldest Drummonds, with Elizabeth in tow, made their way to the carriage for the short journey to Lambton’s assembly hall. Her cousin, Edward, Elizabeth was forced to concede, looked quite well in his suit which, while it was not the highest of quality, was still well-made and becoming. Her aunt and uncle had dressed up in their own finery, such as Elizabeth had never seen them wear.