I then understood he had no wish to spend the season at Longbourn, and why would he? His wife had died shortly before the holiday only a year prior. “You would be very welcome to decide that for yourself, sir.”
“Am I so easily read?”
Politeness required I ignore that question. “If you must have it, sir, my library in Derbyshire is the ninth or tenth wonder of the world—well, perhaps it is the eleventh. In any case, you should see it. I insist.”
“I hope Jane will not be too disappointed if I do not spend Christmas at home. I shall make it up to her, however. I may impose upon Mrs Annesley and Miss Darcy again in the morning to take me to the shops to buy a few more presents for my daughters.”
The following morning, I tapped on my sister’s door and went in. Georgiana was propped up in bed with her cup of chocolate, forcibly reminding me of my mother who spent every morning in that same way.
“If you are in earnest about meeting Mr Bennet’s daughters, I believe you may have the opportunity, Georgie.”
She looked up at me in surprise, and I told her of our plan. She seemed more startled than frightened and agreed to be ready to remove to the country on Monday. I then sought out my butler and my housekeeper and made all the necessary plans. I asked Carsten to visit Hoby and pay him whatever ransom was required tohave my boots ready to go before I left London, and sent my private secretary to a rare book dealer to scout out something, preferably with engravings, that I did not already own, and have it sent to Pemberley. If Mr Bennet was to be my guest at Christmas, I meant to be prepared with a gift for him.
Finally, I wrote to Mrs Reynolds, my housekeeper in Derbyshire, and bespoke the best selection from my hothouse be delivered in quantity to the Miss Bennets of Longbourn, Hertfordshire, as close to Christmas Day as could reasonably be arranged. I asked my butler to have a hideously expensive case of port to be delivered to my cousin in Belgium, where his brigade was temporarily stationed, and then I went to the family vault at my principal bank.
Georgiana was now old enough to begin receiving jewellery, of which I had more than I could ever want to own. I selected a delicate headband with a few diamond clusters. She would care very little for such a trinket once she discovered the yearling mare newly arrived at Pemberley’s stables.
