Page 5 of Master of Netherfield
“I should like to keep her close by me for many months sir,” he finally answered, and George smiled broadly.
“That is an answer that could mean ten or twenty or even forty months.”
William only nodded his head, but Mr Darcy told his son, “Get settled and I shall send Georgiana to you before her birthday.”
“Thank you.”
**++**
As he finished his plans and packing for his journey south, William went below stairs to meet with Mrs Reynolds. The lady had been selected as housekeeper at Pemberley from the senior staff when he was five years. She had served the master and mistress well, helping to raise both children after the passing of Mrs Darcy ten years ago when Georgiana was born. As he approached the kitchens William encountered Alfred Clemmons, the business secretary for his father, and he asked the man to join him.
“Have you come to say farewell already, Master William? I hear you are to leave us,” the pleasant woman told the young man when he appeared at her office below stairs. “Mr Clemmons, good morning.”
“Good morning, Mrs Reynolds,” replied the secretary.
“I have an important task ahead of me,” Master William replied, motioning Mrs Reynolds to return to her seat and Clemmons to an empty chair, as he closed the door himself and sat across from the housekeeper. Remembering times when he had been disciplined by the housekeeper in this same room for pilfering biscuits or scaring the maids on the servant stairs on All Hallows Eve, William smiled comfortably.
“How can I be of assistance Master William?”
“I do not have to ask you to maintain your governance of my sister. Nanny Brice is very cheerful but strict with my sister, but Georgiana looks to you as a protective aunt.”
“Who is also strict,” Mrs Reynolds reminded Master William.
“In a few weeks, I shall send for my sister to join me and once she is with me, I shall keep her close.”
He paused a long minute before saying, “I understand there is a new woman in my father’s life. What happened with the other woman?”
Mrs Reynolds grew pale, glanced once at Mr Simmons, but then she shared what she knew. “Mr Darcy’s long-established kept woman was Mrs Hammond. In February, she received an offer of marriage from awell-to-do tradesman from Wiltshire. She married him with a special license and left for the south of England. Mr Darcy was greatly affected by her desertion.”
William could imagine the dark mood of his father and how it affected the entire household and so he waited until Mrs Reynolds was ready to continue talking.
Mr Clemmons joined the conversation at that point saying, “Master William, I believe Mrs Hammond grew tired of waiting for Mr Darcy to marry her. She accepted the other gentleman’s offer of marriage, left your father’s protection and deserted the estate he gave her for life. Mr Darcy required me to recover the estate, but the steward and all monies go through my papers, so it was no trouble to do so.”
“He found another lady quickly and did not pine for Mrs Hammond,” William observed but neither the secretary nor the housekeeper had any comment though Mrs Reynolds blushed.
Now, William came to a startling realization,“My father kept two mistresses at the same time. MrsHammondmust have grown jealous and that is why she accepted the proposal of marriage.”
“Has this affected my sister?” he asked urgently.
“Generally, Miss Georgiana is ignored by your father.”
“I shall have her with me within the month,” William explained.
“Keep her with you,” Mrs Reynolds stated. “Mr Darcy will move Mrs Murray into the house once your sister leaves and he will not want to move the lady out again.”
“I understand Mrs Simon left but no one seems willing to discuss the whereabouts of her two sons. Has my father made arrangements for his natural children?”
The secretary cleared his throat and explained, “The master has established separate trusts for the two boys–they will be fully funded with ten thousand pounds each before another year passes. Until then, he pays for their schooling out of his pocket money. When they go to university, the trust will pay their expenses, and they will have the income until they are twenty-five years. Then they receive the original ten thousand.”
“My father’s natural children will be an issue all the days of my life, I fear.” William looked across the room toward a painting of the Pemberley rose garden he had given to Mrs Reynolds several years before at Christmas. “And Wickham was here yesterday.”
“George Wickham is not your father’s son,” Mrs Reynolds said. “Each of your father’s sons has his look–his hair and his eyes.”
“And my sister?”
“She is your mother’s child...” replied Mrs Reynolds though she did not wish to say more.
“It does not signify. Mr Clemmons and I shall remain in correspondence regarding all of the business affairs of Pemberley, and I will remain in contact with Mrs Reynolds,” William told them.
