“Oi, ma’am, the servants’ door is t’other way.”
She ignored the shout and continued up the gravelled path. A liveried footman opened one of the grand doors that stood at the top of the stone steps leading to the entrance. Again, she ignored his attempt to direct her away.
“Ma’am, may I assist you?” The butler, while his countenance was stern, was impeccably polite. His manner disarmed her. Here, at the very end of her journey, all of her fortitude disappeared. No longer Mrs. Darcy, wife of the Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales—justLizzie Darcy, scared, alone, and only wishing to be held, comforted, and safe. She burst into tears; she could go no further. It was impossible to cross the threshold of such a grand house. Oh, the impostor she was.
“Jacob, help the woman to the bench.” The footman stepped forward and gently led her to the seat just inside the vestibule; the ceiling, rising through two floors, loomed over her.
“Mr. Winthrop, she holds a babe; let me take it. Bring her some refreshment; the poor dear is close to collapse.”
She let the lady—the housekeeper?—take little Ben, who accepted being passed to her without murmur. The lady held him, ever so kindly, adjusting his skirt, which was pulled up around his waist. She paused, gasped. Then, holding the babe as though he were the most precious object in the world,
“Ma’am, my apologies… Mrs. Darcy?”
Elizabeth, through her tears, saw the lady gazing at her with so much hope. She remembered—Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper, and Mr. Winthrop, the butler.Her dear William had talked of them when, as a child, he had lived in this place, playing, scampering through this great hall. Where was he? In the study? Perchance the music room, listening to Georgiana play the piano forte? Finally, she could smile.
“William, my husband… Mr. Darcy. Please, I very much wish to see him. We’ve been apart, ever so long, these past sixteen months.”
Chapter 49
Derby,June 4, 1814
The streets of Derby were awash with revellers celebrating the King’s Birthday; the chaise came to a standstill, blocked when attempting to navigate a narrow bridge over the Markeaton Brook—further progress was impossible. Exiting the carriage, Darcy and Georgiana made their way to the courthouse on foot. The interior was lit by tall glass windows depicting scenes of saints, kings, and the coats of arms of Derbyshire gentry. Darcy had no interest in searching out the family crest—its long history would die with him—he had no desire to sire an heir unless by Elizabeth. And that was impossible.
“All stand.” Darcy moved to the scuffed floor before the judge’s bench, having led Georgiana to the front row of the gallery. She deliberately distanced herself from Lady Matlock and Felicity. The presiding judge gazed down from his bench.
“This is most singular, for ‘tis the King’s Birthday. I am not sure we should be holding a session of the Court of Chancery on such a day.”
“Pardon me, my lord, but my client, Lord Matlock, was granted leave for this special court by Lord Eldon.” Darcy turned towards Matlock’s barrister, the voice familiar—indeed, Mr. Ellis Bent. Matlock was turning all the screws he could—knowing that Bent held a grudge against Darcy, however unwarranted.
“Very well, let us continue,” said the judge. “I need to return to my estate no later than noon—my wife has recently delivered, and this session is a great inconvenience. Before we start proceedings… Bailiff, it is a very hot day, and the courtroom is overheating. Pray open the doors to allow air to circulate, else we all expire.”
He looked towards the two barristers standing on the floor. “And you are?”
“Mr. Ellis Bent, representing Lord Matlock, the plaintiff. And my esteemed colleague is Mr. Darcy, the defendant, representing himself.”
“Darcy. You are Judge-Advocate for New South Wales?”
“Indeed, my lord. I assumed the position when Mr. Bent retired due to ill health.”
“Ah, there is some history here; both of you gentlemen are returned from New Holland. But let us proceed. In my court,factsare to be presented—not hearsay, supposition, or speculation. Do I make myself clear, gentlemen?”
Darcy and Bent murmured their assent. The circus had begun. Mr. Bent walked to the centre of the floor and began to lay out the facts of the case. His was a strong, eloquent voice, which belied the infirmities that continued to plague him. Concisely, he summarised the case thus—
“It concerns the custody of the infant Miss Georgiana Darcy, now aged seventeen years. Under the terms of her father’s will, her brother, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, was appointed as testamentary guardian.” He paused, taking in the lords, ladies, and gentry seated in the gallery. An actor, well able to move the crowd to his point of view.
“I refer toEyre v. Shaftsbury in 1725. In that matter, the decision of the court is aptly stated by Blackstone—The lord chancellor is, by right derived from the crown, the general and supreme guardian of all infants… In case therefore any guardian abuses his trust, the court will check and punish him; nay sometimes will proceed to the removal of him, and appoint another in his stead.”
“I am familiar with the citation. Please state your case against the defendant, Mr. Ellis.”
“With your leave, your lordship. We contend that Mr. Darcy is not a proper person to be the infant’s guardian.”
Darcy’s megrim was intensifying; he found it difficult to concentrate. What was he doing here? Prolonging the agony—having lost Elizabeth, he was now to lose Georgiana. Reluctantly, his attention was brought back to the proceedings. Bent was speaking,
“There is no doubt that Mr. Darcy is a good lawyer—indeed, he is a Doctor of Laws—yet it does not necessarily follow that he is a proper governor to attend a young woman to her coming out, or for her presentation to Her Majesty, which the niece of an earl should expect, or to her education as a woman of quality.”
“It has long been established that the court will act for thebenefit of the infant, as clearly stated by the Lord Chancellor inMorgan v. Dillon (1724); further,Smith v. Smith(1745) says the child’s best interests are to acquire as muchrank and fortuneas possible.Scott v. Tyler(1788) urges that the parent assigning guardianship must make provision for the infant to live in the world suitable to that rank to which theirbirth entitlesthem. A woman can only maintain such rank through the connections of her husband, and for her to marry such an elevated person requires she move in the highest society.” Bent paused—again for dramatic effect.
“While Mr. Darcy is a gentleman and holds the rank of lieutenant governor of a penal colony”—oh, well done, demeaning my commission—“he is not titled, nor does he come from a line of titled ancestors. Whereas Lord Matlock is an earl, active in Parliament, and one of the most distinguished peers of the realm. Who could renounce the unqualified support of such a patron and his wife? All must agree that his connections are vastly superior to those of Mr. Darcy.”
