Page 54 of The Cheapside Runners
19.The Dutch Uncle
As the men left the Turner’s coffeehouse, the colonel observed, “Well, that went better than we had any right to expect.”
“You are somehow surprised that if we throw money around, they would be willing to catch it?” Darcy quipped half-seriously.
“When you put it like that, I have no idea what we were worried about.”
They continued on in pensive silence for a time, and the colonel asked, “You say you have found more?”
“Yes, two more. One is apparently in Lambton of all places, and not in any immediate distress. The other is in a small market town in Bedfordshire. I will probably visit the local and then decide about the other.”
“You are committed to this course, then?”
“I am. The expense is barely noticeable. During the child’s lifetime she will hardly cost any more than my boots, and far less than my horseflesh.”
“Ah, the vagaries of rich and poor.”
“Yes,” Darcy added, not feeling much like stirring that particular pot.
Itdidseem unfair that he and Bingley received the vast bulk of their father’s wealth and responsibilities, while daughters and younger sons got by on scraps. It was the way of the world, but there was presently not much he could do about it. He strongly encouraged his cousin to take as much advantage of his wealth as his pride allowed, but there were limits. He was happy to see the Turners were considerably less stubborn than his cousin, who had turned down several offers of assistance. It was no surprise that Mrs Turner was of a practical bent, but Mr Turner was a military man, and you just never knew how much pride and hubris drove their thinking.
Fitzwilliam asked, “On another subject, how is Georgiana doing? And while we are at it,where is she?”
Darcy chuckled grimly. “One question more or less answers the other.”
“Can you get any more confusing?”
“Confusing? Me? I could hardly compete with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, so why bother?”
“Was that intended to be an answer? If so, it is woefully short of the mark.”
Darcy sighed. “Georgiana has tested Mrs Annesley’s patience to the limit. I do have great faith in that lady’s abilities under ordinary circumstances, but whatever was happening in our ward’s mind was beyond her abilities. She made a suggestion, and I took her up on it.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“Certainly. I sent her to Gardiner’s course.”
“YOU WHAT?” the colonel bellowed. He followed that by sitting back in his seat, because he did not actually have any idea what that entailed.
“My apologies that I did not consult you, but I was at the end of my tether.”
“What exactly is this course?”
“Gardiner said I just had to trust him. They have trained hundreds of girls, but they all remain anonymous. She must participate for a fortnight, during which she has effectively dropped off the edge of the world. We cannot speak to them, write to them, or even know where they are, precisely.”
The colonel whistled. “Putting a lot of faith in a man you barely know.”
“He has already saved her once, he passed up three good opportunities to extract funds from me, and we have spoken for hours. I do trust him. That said, the course is not exactly free.”
“Do tell! How much did it set you back?”
Darcy chuckled. “Gardiner says he charges what a man can reasonably afford. For some guardians, it is free or ten pounds. For me, it was a thousand pounds.”
“THOUSAND!” The colonel gasped.
Darcy laughed heartily, even though his initial reaction had been nearly identical, especially since Gardiner was in a joking mood and told him the price while he was drinking some excellent brandy.
“Gardiner made a good point… actually two. The first is that, unless I am the dumbest investor ever born, I probably make at least five percent return on my investments.”
