“I have tried to speak to her…” Bingley began to say.
“It should be more than an attempt,” Richard insisted. He wished William would say something, but for some reason,William had never been brutally honest with Bingley. “Are you, or are you not, the head of the Bingley family?”
As much as he wanted to be able to refute what Fitzwilliam said, Bingley could not. Hence, he rather changed the subject. “Will you two be able to join me?”
“We have nothing scheduled for Friday, so we will accompany you,” Darcy responded.
“I thank you. I will collect you here in my coach at sunup on Friday morning. My man told me they have riding horses in the stables at the estate if we want to ride the fields.” With that, Bingley was off.
“Why are you so easy on him? William, you do Bingley a disservice when you do not treat him as a man full grown,” Richard growled after Bingley departed. “You are so quick to distance yourself from those you deem below you; yet you will not set Miss Bingley down. It is little wonder she thinks you will offer for her.”
Darcy was a little taken aback by the vehemence of Richard’s harangue. He remembered when his cousins had called him a hypocrite because of the difference in the way he related to Bingley and his late father’s friend, Mr Bennet. Was what Richard said true? Why had he not been able to reconcile his treatment of Bingley with the disdain he felt for Mr Henry Bennet? Was it some sort of misguided way of showing loyalty to his late mother? If so, was he not then being disloyal to his late father? These were questions which had plagued Darcy for some years, and he was no closer to answering them. He was brought out of his thoughts by Richard’s voice.
“Based on something Father said, depending on what part of Hertfordshire this unnamed estate is located, it may be close to Mr Bennet and his family. You know he went to live in the dower house on his nephew’s estate, do you not?” Richard stated.
“So he is no longer a landowner?” Darcy askedtriumphantly.
“William, are you trying to justify your hypocrisy with that question? Mr Bennet does not live at Sherwood Dale full time, but it is still very much his. You also seem to want to ignore he was born a gentleman while Bingley was not. Remind me which estate has a higher income. Mr Bennet’s or yours? You are such a stubborn nodcock at times,” Richard responded forcefully. “You do know that he is a very good friend to my father and that Anna is quite close to some of his great-nieces, do you not?”
“How do you like your new steward?” Darcy asked in an attempt to change the subject. “He seems quite competent for one close to our own age.”
“Mr Wickham was well trained as a steward by his father, who has been at Sherwood Dale for well over twenty years. I am completely satisfied with him.” Richard was well aware William was trying to introduce a less contentious subject, so he allowed it…for now.
When the Rivington steward had announced his date to retire, Richard had begun to search for a replacement for him. His father had mentioned that Mr Bennet had three under-stewards at his estate. Richard interviewed one of them, the son of the head steward and by far the most suitable candidate. He had come to Rivington and worked with the retiring man, and a little more than a year past, George Wickham had been made the permanent steward of Rivington.
Richard had observed his steward at local assemblies. The ladies were drawn to his charm and good looks, and he could imagine had Wickham not been such an honourable man, he could have wielded his charm, but not for good.
Darcy did not remark about the estate where Richard’s steward formerly worked. Not too long after, they prepared for dinner at Matlock House.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“You asked to see me, Uncle Henry?” Elizabeth said as she entered her uncle’s study at the dower house.
As he approached the age of two and seventy, Henry’s eyes were all but useless. He could see light and shapes, but not much else. Rouse had observed that his master’s eyes had begun to cloud over, which indicated the presence of cataracts. Even though Jacques Daviel had pioneered a surgical procedure in Paris in 1747, as he aged, Henry chose not to attempt the surgery. There were too many complications, especially infections.
Once his eyesight got that bad, Henry employed a man to be his secretary—Joseph Remington—whose primary tasks were reading and writing correspondence for Henry. Three of Henry’s eldest great-nieces, Lizzy, who had turned twenty in March, Mary, who reached eighteen in April past, and Kitty, sixteen in February past, read to him whenever he wanted. In addition, Mrs Bellamy, who was no longer needed in the role of governess, took on the role of Henry’s nurse, so with her and his loyal valet, he always had the help he needed, when he needed it. He had slowed down considerably, which was to be expected at his age. He had many aches and pains, but none of that was a hindrance to living his life and enjoying it.
“Indeed, I did. Remington read me a very interesting letter today. Do you remember a few years back I told you that through your Uncle Gardiner’s contacts in the former colonies, I was searching for my sister, Felicity, and her family?” Henry stated.
“Yes, I am the younger one, so I do not forget things as easily as you do, Uncle Henry,” Elizabeth replied impertinently.
He loved that Lizzy never treated him as an infirmed man and still teased him at will. “I am well aware, you young whippersnapper you,” Henry jested. “Remington read this letter to me. I suggest you read it, and then we will discuss it and the implications within.”
Elizabeth took the letter; it was on the desk in front of her great-uncle, in the general direction he had pointed. She unfolded the epistle and began to read.
14 January 1811
Taylor Farm
Outside of Natchez
The Territory of Mississippi
A Territory of the United States of America
Brother,
This old lady is shocked to her core. As you know, our father never had any use for me as amerefemale. After my late husband Roger and I arrived in Connecticut, we never heard back from Mama. I assumed that she had been ordered to break contact with us.
