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Mrs. Gardiner commenced preparing tea. She handed a cup to her niece. “And what say you of your relationship with your father? Have the two of you put all of your differences aside?”

“I would say he and I have made great strides in that regard. We no longer suffer contention over my going against his wishes and marrying Ben’s father. It pleases me immensely that he showed such interest in Ben. Family means so much to my darling son. Papa and he grew very close during their time at Pemberley.”

“I suppose Ben was saddened upon learning he would not be spending time with his grandfather during the trip from Pemberley owing to my brother Bennet’s being in Lincolnshire visiting Jane, along with the rest of the family.”

“This is true. However, there is the promise of reuniting the two of them in due time. We journey to Derbyshire at the end of the Season.”

“Then you certainly do plan on enjoying your first Season as Mrs. Darcy here in town.”

“I shall do my best. First, I must survive my first visit as Mrs. Darcy in Kent. I should imagine everything will be a small matter, by comparison.”

“From the stories you have told me about Lady Catherine, I can well imagine.”

“Fortunately, her ladyship shows a great affinity for Ben, owing to her close friendship with Ben’s grandmother.”

“You are speaking of the late Mrs. Sarah Carlton.”

“Indeed. What is more, her ladyship rather enjoys the company of Geoffrey Collins, so much so that she strongly suggested that he, Jane, and the girls are to stay at Rosings when next they visit.”

“Will wonders never cease?”

“Indeed. If Lady Catherine has her way, I would not be surprised if the Collinses visit Kent as soon as my father, my mother, and my younger sisters take their leave from Lincolnshire.” Elizabeth took a measured sip from her cup of tea. “What a gay reunion that will be.”

Matters between Darcy and Mr. Gardiner were not as agreeable. Darcy owed it to his having relieved Mr. Gardiner of his role as trustee of Elizabeth’s financial holdings soon after the wedding. The things Elizabeth had confided in him about her uncle’s handling of her finances had done nothing to recommend him to Darcy. If anything, it had served quite the opposite effect. Darcy had no tolerance for speculation. However, he could not object to Mr. Gardiner in his entirety, for by Elizabeth’s account her uncle had been more of a father to her than Mr. Bennet had been, not only in negotiating the marriage settlement to her first husband—such as it was—but also in escorting her down the aisle. For that reason alone, Mr. Gardiner had earned his niece’s eternal gratitude, and no amount of financial mismanagement of her funds would alter that. Darcy would endeavour to honour him no less.

Mr. Gardiner, a sensible, gentlemanlike man, and as best Darcy could tell, greatly superior to his sister, as much by nature as education, cleared his throat. “So, you very well intend to procure the Carlton family estate for young Ben. I was always of the opinion my niece wanted nothing to do with any of that.”

“Where matters of finances are concerned, I follow my own counsel.”

“I mean no offence; it is just that Lizzy’s goals for Ben have not always aligned with your current agenda.”

My agenda! This is the opinion of the man who has been the means of decimating the bulk of Elizabeth’s financial holdings. Indeed, the older man’s attitude bothered Darcy more than a little. “Sir, with all due respect, I appreciate your concerns, but I will act in a manner that constitutes my wife’s and my son’s best interests.”