Page 56 of Master of Netherfield
“And sir, the boy will certainly benefit from your hand upon his upbringing. Mrs Murray will most likely find another gentleman and leave him at home for months at a time with only the servants. A good tutor with a family of his own will help the boy grow into a proper gentleman.”
**++**
William stood before a window in the parlour as his sister performed on the pianoforte. Her performance was pleasant, and Mrs Annesley had provided enough conversation to keep both brother and sister involved in the discussion during supper. Tonight, the first hint of winter seemed to be in the air and Darcy watched clouds sweep over moon and hide it.
“Brother.”
William turned slowly, his face softening slightly when he found Georgiana standing close by.
“I believe I shall say ‘good night’.”
He nodded. “It has been a long day.”
“Shall we ride together tomorrow?” she asked.
“Yes, definitely in the morning after breaking our fast,” he replied.
Grinning, she reached in for a hug that he returned before watching her hurry from the room followed by Mrs Annesley. Once she was gone, he turned back to the window for only a moment before leaving the parlour and returning to his study.
‘There were several letters I must write tonight. The steward at Rosings needs a letter in my own hand to forestall Lady Catherine’s machinations and the factor at thewarehouse in town...’
**++**
Chapter 20.Brother and Sister Plan
It became a part of their routine to ride out three or four times each week in the months following their arrival at Pemberley. For much of each day William was confined to his study with business letters, visits by powerful men who never stayed for supper, and matters of the different estates in the Darcy lands.
Georgiana continued with her lessons and her correspondence with her friends in Hertfordshire. Mrs Annesley mentioned once the number of letters that Miss Darcy sent and received, but Mr Darcy assured the lady that his sister had full permission to write as much as she wished to the Bennet sisters.
The butler and housekeeper noticed the increased funds spent to frank letters, but they remained silent–Mr Darcy’s correspondence was fully three-fold the old master’s and Miss Darcy’s amounted to a mere pittance compared to her brother’s letters.
And during their time alone at Pemberley, William and Georgiana had two sets of rooms in the family wing cleaned and then furnished with their choice of the beddings, chairs and hangings. Georgiana found a writing desk and chair in the rooms used by her mother and with William’s blessing, adopted them as her own. Mrs Annesley moved into a large, comfortable room near Georgiana with warm bedding and hangings. Packages arrived from the seamstress in Meryton with warm leggings and gowns in grey for Georgiana. William provided funds for Mrs Annesley to obtain additional warm clothing for the coming Derbyshire winter. And Harris spent several hours each week working with pants and coats from the tailor in London that William patronized for his clothing during their years at Netherfield.
William had the dower house at Pemberley cleaned and painted before he assigned it to Mr Clemmons and his family as a portion of his expanded income.
“I intend for you to remain as my secretary in the north,” William explained. “It is only proper you have lodgings equal to your position as my trusted servant.”
Mr Clemmons was certainly pleased with his master’s words while Mrs Clemmons was silent with shock–now she had a cook as well as two maids to do her housework.
**++**
On one particular day during their ride across fields and a portion of the park, William and Georgiana stopped their horses where the fields changed into the wood lot. The sister brought her small mare to stand near her brother’s gelding before he dropped down from the saddle and approached to help her down from the side saddle.
“William, Pemberley is beautiful, is it not?” she asked looking across the verge toward the home of their ancestors.
“But can it feel like home?” he asked seriously.
Catching the tone of his voice, Georgiana paused to consider her answer carefully. “We have not had time enough yet to know. Mrs Reynolds is pleasant, but I do not remember the other servants. Pemberley is grand but it is not Netherfield.”
“Where we know everyone–neighbours, servants and tenants,” William added.
“And are welcomed in every home,” concluded Georgiana sadly. She took her brother’s arm as they strolled to a stone fence enclosing a pasture where sheep grazed contentedly.
“With Father’s passing, many powerful men will call at Pemberley though the local gentry remain reluctant to venture close.”
“The neighbours attended Father’s funeral but only the gentlemen have called since that day. When I insisted, Mrs Annesley explained that they stay away because Father kept his mistress in residence,” Georgiana confided. “They think the walls of Pemberley are polluted.”
William nodded. “In a few years they will welcome invitations again.”
