Page 23 of Till Death Us Do Part
“First off, this isyourmoney, to do as you will. You must keep itsecret. It is most definitely not your guardian’s, not your brothers’, not your employer’s, not even your future husband’s, unlessyouwish it so, foryour own reasons. My life’s choices are being stripped away from me one by one, but I should like you to salvage something.
“If you ask Mr Bartlet in the bookstore to help you, I am certain he will keep it safe for you and guide you. Use it to pay for reading, sewing, or other lessons; better clothing; or anything else to make your life better.
“If you have a sweetheart, or you manage to acquire one you would like to marry, you might make it part of a dowry, but only if it suits you.”
Molly just kept shaking her head, but Elizabeth did not have all day to convince her, so she just wrapped the money up in a small bag and forced it into the young girl’s hand. As the area was becoming familiar, Elizabeth knew she would be in Meryton in a few minutes, so she decided to try one more tack.
“I feel I can trust you. Is my trust misplaced?”
“Of course, not, ma’am. I cannot read, or write, or dress a lady, or do anything fancy, but I know right from wrong.”
“That is good, though I can tell you from bitter experience it is not always easy to tell right from wrong. Sometimes there is no right or wrong, but only more right or less wrong; but I take your meaning.”
Molly looked confused, not having encountered any true ambiguity in her life, but Elizabeth thought it was not necessary to explain herself.
Elizabeth finally said, “Are you still set on entering service?”
“Yes, ma’am. Do you think this money will help?”
“Do not make a scene with it. If you suddenly start spending wildly, people will think you stole it or got it through improper means.”
“Yes, ma’am. Everyone knows that much if they have any sense.”
“What do you think of working at Pemberley?”
“It would be wonderful. The master is a generous, and liberal man, and he does not let his guests or his men trifle with the maids. That is as good as it gets for girls like me.”
“If you can get on there, it would be a good thing,” Elizabeth began, but then thought a few more minutes. “I would give you a recommendation, but I suspect it might hurt more than help.”
Molly startled. “Do you know Mrs Reynolds?”
“No.”
“Mrs Mason or Sanderson?”
Elizabeth laughed. “No, I do not know a single member of the staff at Pemberley, and I do not know that they would esteem me if I did.”
Looking confused, Molly asked, “So how are you connected?”
“I am not presently, but,” she paused a moment and eventually continued, “if I cannot work out a way to avoid my fate, I will return shortly as its mistress.”
“You mean I have been travelling all this way with Mrs Darcy?” Molly asked, eyes like saucers.
Elizabeth gave a grim chuckle. “Not Mrs Darcy yet, and ideally, never; but yes, I am engaged to Mr Darcy, due to be wed on the twenty-third.”
“Well! I never.”
The young girl thought about it a moment, then stared. “I take it running away by yourself before your wedding isnotsomething the quality usually does?”
Elizabeth laughed. “I always hated that phrase, ‘the quality.’ We are not that, or at least I am not. I am marginally acceptable goods at best; but you are correct, it is not part of the usual engagement ritual.”
Molly tried to imagine what would make someonenotwant to be the mistress of Pemberley, but the idea was too foreign for her to even contemplate, let alone think about in depth.
“So, if I mention that I know Mrs Darcy, you do not know if it will help or hurt?”
“Correct.”
Molly thought about it a moment. “I will try to get a position there without mentioning you.”
