Page 14 of Master of Netherfield
Upon entering his chamber, he found the door to his wife’s bedchamber ajar–an unspoken invitation to share her bed for the evening. Dismissing Mr Hill as soon as he was changed into his night shift, Thomas Bennet ventured into his wife’s bedchamber for the entire evening.
**++**
The following morning, Mr Bennet and his wife were late rising. Later in the morning, while he put their daughters through their regular lessons, Mrs Bennet prepared to further the sewing lessons for her daughters. She was determined that even Elizabeth would learn to sew a strong hem.
Late in the morning, a letter was brought into the library by Mr Hill. Glancing at the address, he recognized his brother Gardiner’s handwriting, turned the letter over, broke the seal and read.
**++**
Gracechurch Street London
Dear Brother, Edward asked me to tell you everything I knew about the Darcy family from my home in Lambton. I am pleased to be of use to my family with my story. As you can imagine, my family was never intimate with the great house, but the Darcys were patrons of all local merchants in Lambton. Mrs Darcy was a very proud lady of the highest fashion, but she did purchase stationary and inks, baskets and notions from my father’s store.
I know Mrs Reynolds the housekeeper–she and my mother are distant cousins. She tells my mother that young Mr Darcy is a considerate, intelligent young man. There is a very young sister–only ten years who lives at the great house. I will allow Edward to tell you of the father.
Your sister, Madeline Gardiner
**++**
On the second page, Mr Bennet found more damning information in the letter from Mr Gardiner.
Bennet,
What my wife is unwilling to include in her lines is a report of the father–George Darcy. It is unfortunate that the noble class often ignore the mores of society. While is it often gossip, in this case it is truth–Mr Darcy keeps a mistress. He had the mistress before his late wife died and now has two natural children that he supports in school. The woman is not resident in the home, but she has been established on a Darcy estate in the neighbourhood. The father is a good landlord generally from all reports.
The son of whom you have inquired is reported to be very reserved and unlike the father does not appear to be a scoundrel with the ladies. There is a young man associated with the household who is not welcomed in any homes in Lambton, but he is the master’s godson, a George Wickham. Of Master Fitzwilliam Darcy, there are none but what say good things. Sincerely, Edward Gardiner
**++**
Mr Bennet folded up both pages and stored them in his drawer of correspondence. Mr Darcy would be welcome in his home for dinner, hunting and companionship.
**++**
Chapter 6.Sherwood Forest
William Darcy rode alone from his house to the farm tended by the Hall family. The man was indeed an excellent farmer, and Darcy was considering making him a foreman over all the farms growing oats and other grains. To reach the farm, he could take the road around the wood or follow the pathway through the woods that was much quieter and faster. About him, almost one thousand acres of oak and maple towered into the blue sky. The extensive wood lot–appropriately name Netherfield Woods–provided much firewood for the estate and tenants but Darcy intended to provide his tenants with some coal for winter heat this year and to harvest timber to dry, saw and sell next year.
‘These woods have not been touched in a century except for firewood,’he decided.‘If I get a good crew with strong horses, there will be little damage from the work. Thinning the forest will even increase the number of deer.’
“Stand and deliver!” commanded a young voice. Pulling Jupiter to a halt, Fitzwilliam Darcy frowned–a fearful sight. He would not stand for outlaws attempting to rob anyone on his lands.
But then he noticed a young woman–a girl really–standing on a large log along the pathway with a homemade bow and arrow–the arrow a mere shaft of wood that might startle Jupiter if fired across his path but certainly nothing that could harm the horse or his rider.
“See here now!” William called in a gruff voice. “Is this Robin Hood?”
“Are you daft?” called the outlaw with the flimsy bow and arrow. “Can you not see that I am a girl? I am Maid Marion!”
“Forgive me Maid Marion. I am caught off guard,” he said as he doffed his hat and bowed his head from the back of his horse. “And who am I?”
The girl lowered the arrow slightly while she looked him over closely and replied, “You are either King Richard or the Sheriff of Nottingham.”
Darcy grinned. “I am neither a king nor sheriff. But Richard is my cousin.”
“King Richard’s cousin!” she declared. “I shall have your purse in any case sir. I must rob from the rich to give to the poor.”
“How do you know that I am rich?” he asked.
The girl frowned but answered, “Everyone thinks that girls are stupid, but I believe you are rich sir. I see your fine steed, nice clothes, good boots and hat–you are rich as a lord in town!”
