Mr. Darcy's Daughter Page 5

  Mr Barrett was neither handsome nor very tall, nor was he particularly elegant in dress and manners, affecting the somewhat informal attire that was fashionable with writers and the like. Indeed, he seemed a very ordinary sort of gentleman, until he spoke. Cassy noticed then that his voice, which was quiet and well modulated, had a most genteel accent and a warm, intimate quality. It was what some people called"a cultured voice." Very suitable for reading poetry, Cassy thought. When they were introduced, he had bowed to her and Mrs Tate, then kissed Josie's hand as she sat on the sofa in front of the fire, presenting her with a little book bound in green leather. He said something to her quietly, as he handed it over, which made her smile. Cassy did not hear his words; clearly she was not meant to, nor was anyone other than Josie, who managed a very acceptable smile and said,"Thank you very much indeed, Mr Barrett."

  Julian and Josie had both greeted him cordially and welcomed him to their home and Mr Barrett was determined to please them all.

  At dinner, although she ate very little, Josie sat at table, listened carefully, spoke quietly, and even managed to ask their guest a question or two, which he answered with great attention and courtesy. Mr Barrett, who sat between her and her mother, maintained a conversation with both mother and daughter throughout the meal, turning frequently from one to the other, as if to ascertain if they had been satisfied with his remarks. Richard said later that you could see the man was in business, so well did he apply himself to the business of making a good impression upon the people he met.

  Richard concentrated his attention upon Julian, with whom he spent most of the evening, while Cassy observed the rest of the party.

  Once they moved back into the parlour—for the house had no real drawing room—tea and coffee were served and Josie, assisted by her mother, managed very well, Cassy thought. Later, Mrs Tate excused herself and went upstairs, but Josie appeared not to tire at all.

  It was late when Mr Barrett took his leave, and Josie almost immediately decided that she was tired and would like to retire. Susan was sent for to assist her. An attentive husband shepherded her to the stairs before returning to his guests.

  Taking the opportunity of being alone with him, Richard spoke gently,"Now, Julian, Josie appears to have made an excellent start; it is you who must make her feel that it is worth going on and making a complete recovery. There must be no sliding back. You must do all you can," he advised, and extracting a promise that Julian would keep them informed of her progress, they returned to their lodgings for the night. Their earlier feelings of frustration had been replaced by relief and a fair degree of bewilderment, as well, for they could find little to account for Josie's rapid recovery.

  Two days later, finding no sign of any retardation in Josie's progress and on hearing only good news from her mother and husband, Cassy and Richard left for home, leaving Mrs Tate to continue the good work and watch over her daughter and her rather chaotic household.

  When they saw Josie and Julian for the last time before their departure, Cassy promised to send young Lizzie to them in the Summer, and while Josie did not seem very enthusiastic, both she and Julian declared they would look forward to her visit.

  "It will do us all good to have a bright young person around," said Julian.

  Josie agreed and sent her love to Lizzie and the rest of their family.

  * * *

  Returning to Pemberley, bringing what they deemed to be a satisfactory report of Josie's condition, they were to discover that there was already plenty of good news around. The Sutton children had been found and restored to their mother; their violent father was now safely in the hands of the constabulary.

  "Thanks mainly to the prompt action of Mr Elliott, the new Member of Parliament. He seems to be a most resourceful man," Mr Darcy told them.

  They were pleased to be able to relate that Josie's condition seemed to have improved quite markedly in the past few days, confirming the belief of both Richard and Mr Darcy that it had been a malaise brought on by disposition rather than disease. Cassy still had some reservations, of which she chose not to speak to her parents, but hoped to put to her husband when an opportunity arose. Now, she decided, was not the right time; there were far too many things happening.

  Her mother had even more interesting news.

  "The same Mr Elliott who rescued the Sutton children is now engaged to Anne-Marie and they are to be married before Christmas!" she announced."We have had letters from Jonathan and Anne-Marie."

  All this had taken place in the space of a week! Richard was astonished and his wife absolutely delighted. She had been well aware of the romance between Anne-Marie and Mr Elliott, Cassy said, and was exceedingly pleased with the news.

  Ever since she had learned the truth about Anne-Marie's desolate marriage to Mr Bradshaw, Cassy had prayed that her cousin would, one day, find happiness. She fervently hoped that this marriage would be the answer to that prayer.

  Of Mr Colin Elliott, they had had excellent reports from their cousin Emma Wilson and her husband James, who sat in the Parliament with him. More recently, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Caroline had spoken in glowing terms of his courage and determination to leave the Tory Party and join the Reformists.

  Earlier, they had met at Pemberley, when both Mr Elliott and Anne-Marie had been visiting Derbyshire, separately but at the same time. Seeing them together, Cassy and her mother had been convinced that he at the very least was very much in love, while she was probably on the verge of it, even if she did not appear to be aware of it at the time.

  The news of their engagement was, for Cassy, the very best news of all. So pleased was she, and so much did she have to say about it to her family, it helped push the problems of Julian and Josie into the background for a while.

  * * *

  As if that were not sufficient, Summer brought a further distraction, with the return from London of their younger son Darcy. He came bearing plenty of news, as he always did. There had been much excitement in April and May, with the visit of Mr Garibaldi from Italy bringing his supporters into the streets, followed by the clear and unequivocal declaration by Mr Gladstone of his support for the Reform Bill, giving working men the vote.

  "Everyone says Mr Gladstone will soon be Prime Minister," Darcy declared, as he joined his parents for breakfast.

  "Your uncle Fitzwilliam may have a different view," said his father, reminding them that Colonel Fitzwilliam remained a staunch admirer of Palmerston. Young Darcy was sceptical."Palmerston's finished; he has little support even among the Whigs, and Gladstone is the favourite of the Liberals. No one doubts that he will soon be Prime Minister," he said, with the confidence of the young that will brook no contradiction.

  His parents smiled, aware that things were rarely that simple.

  Darcy Gardiner's interest in politics was, as yet, somewhat peripheral. He enjoyed listening to the big speeches in the Parliament and seemed to revel in the cut and thrust of debate. But, like many other young men of his age, he was unsure if he wanted to endure the tedium of Parliamentary membership and all that it involved. It was something he expected to have to decide sometime in the distant future.

  His uncle, Jonathan Bingley, once a distinguished Member of the Commons, had urged him to take it seriously, because, as he had said,"The Parliament needs young, active men, and the people deserve better representatives than men who have few enlightened views and hardly any vision at all, voting only to preserve their privileges." Jonathan Bingley was an ardent Reformist.

  Young Darcy had been very impressed with his uncle's words and had promised to give it serious thought. He was, however, at twenty-four, still unsettled about his future ambitions; attracted to both business and politics, but too young to have much experience of either, he appeared reluctant to commit himself to any cause. The declaration at breakfast had been the first time his parents had heard him speak so emphatically on the subject.

  Recently, Darcy Gardiner had spent a good deal of time in the company of a gentleman
lately arrived from America. Of Irish descent, his parents had emigrated to the United States at the time of the potato famine in the 1840s and made good there. He had been sent to school in England, had spent some time travelling in Europe, and had inherited a substantial fortune from an uncle who had moved to Canada, where he had died without an heir.

  Mr Michael Carr had fascinated young Darcy with his width of experience, his wide range of interests, and the two had become firm friends. He was, he had revealed, looking to purchase a suitable property in England, preferably in the Midlands. Darcy, who knew nothing of land values and real estate, had suggested that he talk to his grandfather Mr Gardiner, who, he had said,"was prodigiously good at business and knows everything there is to know about property in the district." He had added, however, that it was a pity his grandfather was ill, else he was sure he would have assisted him in every way.

  Having related all this to his parents at breakfast, Darcy announced casually that he had invited Mr Carr to stay. What was more, he would be arriving that afternoon. This announcement caused some mild consternation, as his mother suggested that she might have liked a little more notice; but in the end Cassy was, as usual, prepared to welcome him. Any friend of her son's was sure to be treated as one of the family and room would always be found to accommodate him.

  It was no different with Mr Carr, who was due to arrive on the coach from Derby that afternoon. Darcy took the curricle to meet him, while the rest of the household rushed to prepare a room for their guest, and Cook had to be advised about an appropriate menu for dinner.

  "He is American and may be fairly fastidious," said Cassy, but young Lizzie reassured them."Darcy says he's Irish first and will eat anything at all," she said, which was well and good, except Cook thought it meant he had a very good appetite, so she had better make double the quantity of everything!

  The coach from Derby was late, delayed by a sick passenger who had to be set down at Ripley. When young Darcy and his friend reached the Gardiners' house, it was after six o'clock and the ladies had already gone upstairs to rest before dressing for dinner. Only Dr Gardiner was downstairs in his study, having just returned from Lambton, where he had gone, as usual, to attend on his father.

  When Mr Carr was introduced to him, Richard was immediately struck by his resemblance to a portrait in the long gallery at Pemberley. However, not wishing to embarrass their guest, he said nothing, greeting him cordially. As they shook hands, Mr Carr thanked him most sincerely for his generosity in accommodating him at such short notice."I'd have stayed at the local inn, rather than inconvenience you, sir," he said apologetically,"but Darcy insisted it was all right." Richard endorsed his son's words and welcomed their visitor, reassuring him he had not inconvenienced anyone at all.

  "My eldest son Edward is staying temporarily with my parents at Lambton, so we have plenty of room," he said.

  Mr Carr immediately asked after Mr Gardiner's health, saying Darcy had intimated that his grandfather was gravely ill.

  "I do hope his condition is not serious, sir," he said, to which Richard replied that it was no more serious than it had been yesterday, but could worsen, without warning, at any time.

  "Which is why Edward, who is himself a physician, stays with him," he explained as they went upstairs.

  Darcy was eager for his parents to approve of his new friend. He had found Michael Carr a more stimulating and interesting companion than many of the rich young men in the city and had hoped, by inviting him to Derbyshire, to persuade him to settle in the county.

  Richard found Cassy completing her toilette, when he joined her in their apartments. He stood behind her as she sat at her dressing table, pinning up her hair.

  "Mr Carr appears to be a very personable young man," he said and seeing her start, added,"Don't worry, my dear, everything has been attended to. He's been shown to his room and his bags have been taken upstairs. He seems quite comfortable."

  "How does he look? Is he handsome and tall? Does he speak like an American?" she asked, smiling.

  "Hmm. Tall, yes, not really handsome, but very striking, a memorable face, I would say, and remarkably like one I have seen on a portrait that hangs in your father's collection at Pemberley."

  Cassy was intrigued. Meeting his eyes in the mirror, she asked,"Which portrait? Not one of the ancient ancestors?"

  Her husband laughed."With all that armour, I doubt I would have noticed a resemblance if there had been one. No, it's not one of them. I cannot recall exactly, but you will probably know it as soon as you see him." Cassy was intrigued and questioned him further, but he could tell her little more.

  They dressed and went down to dinner and, when the gentlemen joined them, Darcy Gardiner introduced his friend Mr Michael Carr to his mother and sisters, whom he greeted with great courtesy.

  It was Laura Ann who whispered to her sister,"Lizzie, Mr Carr looks very like the picture of the gentleman in a green coat, which hangs next to the pretty lady with a big hat, in the gallery at Pemberley, does he not?"

  When Lizzie reported this to her mother, while the gentlemen were getting their drinks, Cassy remembered it well.

  The pretty woman in the big hat was the wife of her father's uncle, James Fitzwilliam, who had lived all his life in Ireland; but Cassy had no idea who the man in the green coat was, nor what his picture was doing in her father's collection. They had never paid much attention to him, but she promised her daughters she would ask her father at the first opportunity. She did caution them both, however, not to stare at their guest on account of this."It is very rude and we do not want him to think we are uncouth country bumpkins, do we, my dears?" she had said, as she went to join the others.

  Mr Carr proved to be a very pleasant and entertaining guest, and they spent a lively evening being regaled with tales of Ireland, America, and France, where he had lately visited. They heard of his plans to purchase a property in England and his hopes to settle in the country. He could certainly tell a good story, and he could sing, as he amply demonstrated when they repaired to the drawing room after dinner, entertaining them with a couple of lyrics, proving he had an excellent voice as well as a good sense of humour.

  When at last they retired to their rooms, Cassy admitted to her husband that Mr Carr was indeed a most agreeable young man.

  "I do hope he finds a suitable property in the area," she said."He would make an excellent neighbour, I am sure."

  Richard had to agree and then, just moments before turning out the light, he said,"Of course, there is Will Camden's place, with the farm and horse stud…"

  Cassy sat up in bed, wide awake."Of course there is. Will is keen to sell; he and his wife are all excited about emigrating to New South Wales."

  "I cannot think why; it's the other side of the world and Will has never farmed sheep," said Richard, sleepily, no longer interested.

  "But it does mean the property is available, Richard," she persisted, adding reasonably,"Perhaps, my dear, you ought to tell Mr Carr."

  Richard promised to draw his attention to it on the morrow, smiling to himself at the sudden eagerness of his wife to assist Mr Carr to acquire a property in the area.

  "This keenness of yours for our guest to purchase this property would not be linked in any way to the fact that he is an eligible young bachelor, and our little Lizzie will soon be eighteen, would it, my love?" he asked quietly, only to provoke an indignant protest from his wife.

  "Richard, how could you suggest such a thing? Our Lizzie is only a child; I would not dream of it. But, you must agree, Mr Carr is a very presentable young man. He is Darcy's friend and has a small fortune to invest in a suitable estate, so why should he not purchase it from Will Camden? We know it to be an excellent property; surely there is no reason why they may not both be happy with the transaction?"

  "Oh, no reason at all, my dear, none at all. I shall certainly let him know it's on the market," her husband replied, chuckling as he put out the light, wondering aloud as he did so whether Mr Carr would have
any idea at all of the plans that were afoot for his future happiness.

  Cassy had hoped, when they were in bed, to quiz her husband about his impressions of Mr Barrett and the remarkable recovery his visit had effected upon Josie's spirits. But, what with the excitement of Mr Carr's arrival and now the expectation that there was a property he could like well enough, Josie had gone right out of her head. So pleased was she with the prospect of the sale of the Camden property, she fell quickly and peacefully asleep.

  * * *

  The following morning dawned with mist and light rain, but soon cleared to a brilliant day of blue skies and sunshine.

  Richard had risen early, as always, and ridden out across the dales. Returning from his ride, he came upon Mr Carr taking a solitary walk along the banks of the Wye, which formed one boundary of their property. Seeing his guest, Richard pulled up, dismounted, and continued the rest of the journey on foot.

  "This is a most attractive place you have here, Dr Gardiner," said Mr Carr.

  "I have been admiring the changing prospect that greets the eye at almost every turn in the road."

  Richard acknowledged his praise, modestly informing him that it had been a wedding gift to them from his parents.

  "It is both pretty and convenient, situated halfway between Bake well and the dales of Matlock. If it were not for their generosity, I should not have been able to afford the place, being only recently qualified at the time. My wife and I were very grateful; we have been exceedingly happy here," he explained, and there was no doubting the enthusiasm in his voice.

  "I can well believe it. It is a remarkably beautiful place," said Carr, adding,"I would pay anything for such a property."

  Richard laughed."Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, Mr Carr, but it is not for sale."

  His guest, fearing he had offended his host, apologised immediately.

  "Oh sir, I do apologise. I did not mean to suggest that I would offer you money for your home…" He was quite red with embarrassment and Richard swiftly reassured him that no offence had been taken.