Page 18 of Her Favourite Daughter

“That is your Uncle Robert. His wife is my sister, your Aunt Anne, who you are named for,” Matlock stated gently. “You have two brothers, Andrew and Richard, and one cousin, William.”

“Will we live in this dark house?” Anne asked nervously.

“No, you will come with me to meet your mamma and brothers. We will live at Snowhaven, our estate in Derbyshire, or Matlock House when we are in London,” Matlock explained. “Do you want to live here?”

“Oh no, this is not a friendly house!” Anne exclaimed. “Except for Nurse, she is always very nice to me.”

“If Nurse is able to leave Kent, then she will come with us so she can continue to look after you.” Matlock looked at the nursemaid, who he guessed was in her late teen years or very early twenties. He acknowledged her emphatic nod. “It seems that Nurse will come with you.”

“Thank you, Papa,” Anne responded with a smile.

“Miss…?” Matlock enquired.

“Jenkinson, my Lord. Lettie Jenkinson,” the nurse revealed.

“Miss Jenkinson, will you see to the packing for both Anne and you? We will depart for London in a few hours,” Matlock related.

Nurse bobbed a curtsy and led Miss Fitzwilliam to the corner of the nursery where her charge’s overly ornate clothing was kept. She began to fill a trunk with Miss Anne’s belongings.

“Elaine will need to have appropriate clothing for a young girl made,” Holderness opined. “Did you see how that woman dressed her? They looked like miniature ball gowns that were worn twenty years past. I am positive my Anne will love helping Elaine outfit a young girl.” He paused as he thought of something. “This is one case when Mrs de Bourgh’s wrongheaded ideas about raising a child have been advantageous.”

“You have the right of it. In a few more years, my former sister would have begun inculcating Anne with all the nonsense that woman holds as fact. Thank goodness, she had not begun yet. That will help making Anne part of our family so very much easier,” Matlock agreed.

“What now?” Holderness queried.

“We need to assemble the staff and servants and inform them of the change in ownership. As you know, Rosings Park will remain in trust for Richard until he reaches his majority,” Matlock responded. “I want to make sure that those employed here are of good sense and not pusillanimous bootlickers, the type with which Mrs de Bourgh liked to surround herself. Once that is done, I want to make for the parsonage to thank Mr Collins for his letter and inform him who his new patron is. I will make sure that he knows we hold him in esteem.”

“At least, we will not have to see Mr and Mrs de Bourgh,” Holderness estimated. “I am assuming Leeds, Major Ashton, and his men, are already on their way to the Tower with the newest residents of the gaol there.”

“I believe so,” Matlock stated. “Major Ashton told me it was his intention to get them to their new home as soon as may be. We will see Leeds in London later.”

Both earls understood why Leeds was determined to see the de Bourghs to their new home.

The two men found the butler and told him to have all the staff and servants congregate in the main entrance hall, which had enough space to accommodate all of them. It did not take long before all those employed at the house were present. When the group was informed that they would never see Mr and Mrs de Bourgh again, as they had been arrested, it was hard to see any sorrow at their parting, not even from the two personal servants.

Matlock then explained that the estate belonged to his son, and until said son was of age, he would be the trustee. He told the assembled servants and staff that he would return with his wife and children in a few days. Lady Matlock would supervise the redecoration of the manor, and then it would be closed. A core group would be employed, and the rest would be presented with characters and an additional quarter’s pay to see them through until they found new employment. Matlock did not say that only those his wife and sister deemed not in the mould the former mistress wanted would be kept.

When the butler and housekeeper dismissed the servants, there was some grumbling among them, but they were fully aware that Lord Matlock had had no need to offer them any additional wages as he had.

“What of the steward?” Holderness asked.

“De Bourgh was not a good man, but he did care about the estate and never allowed his wife to interfere with its running. I wager that we will find a satisfied tenantry and a competent steward. I will have to make sure I judge him to be honest due to the fact Rosings Park will not be occupied for some years,” Matlock replied.

I suggest between the two of us, we call here at least twice a year to look over everything,” Holderness proposed.

His brother-in-law’s suggestion was gratefully accepted by Matlock. The two earls found the steward, one Peter Kingston, in his office attached to the stables. Both men agreed that he was as Matlock had guessed, a man well matched to his role. Only time would tell if he was as honest as they hoped he was, but as they made sure he understood they would be auditing everything every few months, only a stupid man would try to embezzle in that situation, and Kingston was anything but a simpleton.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

The two earls were shown into the back parlour where the Collins family was taking tea. Mr and Mrs Collins stood and bowed and curtsied to the peers, but in a perfectly normal way. Matlock introduced himself and his brother-in-law, and Collins did the same for his wife, son, and himself.

“May I pour tea for you, my Lords?” Ophelia Collins offered.

“Thank you, Mrs Collins; that will be appreciated,” Matlock responded as he took a seat next to Holderness.

Ophelia asked the preferences of each earl and poured their tea accordingly.

Once tea was completed and the tray carried away by the maid of all work, Collins requested that the nursemaid take William out to play. “I did not miss a contingent of royal guardsmen accompanying you when you arrived, my Lords,” he remarked once the parlour door had been closed.