Page 20 of Master of Netherfield
She nodded but remained silent as her father said, “Mr Darcy is a gentleman and wanted to make certain you were well. But not all men are gentlemen. The tenant farmers are good men but some of the labourers about are mighty rough men. I would not have you meet one of them in the woods!”
“Yes Papa,” she said in a quiet voice.
“You and Jane must learn to ride so that your walks are not as long. If you wish to go as far afield as Netherfield Woods, you must learn to ride.”
Jane opened the door and stepped inside, “Shall we have hunters Papa?”
“Not hunters Jane. You are not strong enough to control a hunter that wants to jump fences–yet.”
With that unspoken promise, Elizabeth and Jane stepped around the desk to kiss their father’s cheek.
**++**
Before he left Longbourn, Mr Darcy sought out Elizabeth once again.
“Miss Elizabeth, I wanted you to know that I have purchased a new copy of the book of poetry for your father and presented it to him. It was my fault that you dropped the first copy.”
Remembering her father’s admonition to acting as an adult, the young girl thanked the gentleman properly and curtseyed. Waiting at the door with Jane, her mother and father as Mr Darcy mounted his horse and rode toward to Netherfield, she listened to her parents speak of their visitor.
“He is a most congenial fellow,” Mr Bennet said. “I believe he will be pleased to have our girls as friends for his sister.”
Mrs Bennet took her husband’s arm and said, “I believe he is terribly shy sir. In a crowd of strangers, he will be lost. Now that he knows us, he feels comfortable and friendly. And he must love his sister very much as he intends to present her with a pony for her birthday.”
“Oh Mrs Bennet... that rascal of a man!” Mr Bennet swore congenially. “Now I shall have to buy a pony for our younger girls as well as mares for Elizabeth and Jane. We shall make no profit on oats again at Longbourn if I have to feed such a stable!”
“We could always plant more fields of oats, Papa,” Jane said. “There is almost an entire farm fallow without need.”
Looking carefully at his eldest daughter for long moment, the man turned to his wife and said, “Mrs Bennet, I believe you are correct.”
“How so sir?”
“Our daughtersare too intelligent!”
**++**
Chapter 10.Miss Darcy Arrives at Netherfield
William had completed his morning ride to visit three of the Netherfield farms and then settled into his chair before his desk in the library to work on correspondence with his new secretary, Mr Lynton. The steward would be at the house by noon to discuss the fences around the pasture for the dairy. Mrs Hobbes had mentioned an issue with a young maid–the girl was homesick and needed to return to the home of her father and mother.
Mr Bennet and Mr Taylor had come the day before to discuss horses–Mr Darcy and Mr Bennet each needed a pony suitable for young girls to learn to ride and Mr Bennet also needed two mares that were larger than ponies but not as large as hunters for Elizabeth and Jane to ride.
The plan was to travel to Hertford to the horse market on Thursday to look over the mounts available for sale. None of the landowners around Meryton had suitable horses.
“And we do not want anyone to take advantage of your purse,” Mr Bennet had told him confidentially. “The gossip is that you are flush and paying twice the rate for sugar, flour and tea.”
“But I am not!” Darcy exclaimed. “Mrs Hobbes has increased her purchases, but she has not paid a higher price for items since I have been in residence.”
“But the ladies have gossiped and told their husbands who might want to raise their prices for their horses if we came calling. Therefore, the trip to Hertford is in order.”
The balance of the morning passed quickly. Letters were ordered, plans for repairing fences made and a trip home for the homesick maid was arranged.
Shortly before one of the clock, a footman came in with news that a carriage and wagon had been seen entering the park. William rose from his chair, a smile on his face as he made his way to the door where he found Mrs Hobbes and the staff waiting.
As the carriage pulled up to the door, William stepped outside followed by Netherfield’s entire house staff– six footmen, the butler, the housekeeper, twelve maids and the kitchen staff of cook, undercook, and three scullery maids. Around the side of the house came the coachman with the three stable boys who would lead the carriage and wagon to the stables after the unloading.
When the carriage came to a halt, William stepped forward and opened the door himself, taking his sister into his arms for a hug.
“Georgie! I am pleased to have you here!”
