Page 22 of Saving Jane
“Miss Bennet, thank you for joining me this afternoon,” said his voice and Elizabeth turned around once more finally to find the man standing behind a desk surrounded by bookshelves. He was tall and handsome with a pleased look on his face as she curtseyed.
In the far corner of the room, near a window with the afternoon light brightening the area, a second man bent over a desk, writing figures on a sheet of paper after consulting a ledger. But then her eyes returned to the master of the house; she swallowed to clear her throat and stepped forward.
“Mr Clemmons is my secretary, and we work on business letters in my study most days,” Darcy said and gestured toward the man concentrating on his work. “Forgive him if he does not rise for an introduction at this time. We have matters with the East India Company to resolve with a ship that has recentlycome into port.”
“Is it the manifest from the ‘Bequest of King Charles’?” Elizabeth asked naming a ship her uncle was dealing with in his business.
“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Mr Darcy replied with a smile. Mr Clemmons stopped his pen scratching and looked up.
“My uncle has an interest in the cargo, and he has been to the docks every day this week.”
Mr Clemmons left his seat and came over to Elizabeth’s side at this point and bowed, “Alfred Clemmons, miss. Mr Gardiner’s manifest is slightly different from the one the captain provided to Mr Darcy, and I have been trying to decipher the reasons.”
Nodding her head, Elizabeth explained, “My aunt and I noticed the same problem on Monday night Mr Clemmons. There is an error in the number of barrels of peppercorns–there should be two hundred barrels not two hundred and twenty. Twenty barrels of cinnamon were counted twice–once as cinnamon and once as peppercorns.”
“The captain is not attempting to swindle us then?” Darcy asked quietly.
Elizabeth smiled, “Captain Barton is an honest man Mr Darcy. My uncle would not have him at his table as frequently as he does if he thought the man was not honest.”
“There were several expenses in the captain’s ledger noted as ‘gifts’ for officials at British ports during the voyage back to England. Can you explain them?” asked Mr Clemmons.
“My uncle explained to me that such costs were the price of doing business with government officials, sir. I was shocked to learn that very few of the crown’s port officials work for their salary alone,” Elizabeth explained gently.
Mr Clemmons looked offended that bribery was recorded in the ledger as an expense, but Mr Darcy laughed for just a moment before covering his mouth, coughing and directing his secretary to return to his ledger.
“I must remember to send to Mrs Gardiner next time there is a discrepancy in a ship’s manifest,” he said approaching his sister’s guest.
“My aunt makes every effort to assist my uncle with his business sir.”
Inclining his head, Mr Darcy said, “Mr Gardiner is most fortunate then to have such a wife.”
He turned back to his desk and with a hand offered an empty chair to Elizabeth. At this point, she noticed that an older woman was seated in the chair and watching the proceedings with a smile upon her face.Before she sat, Elizabeth curtseyed to the lady who rose and curtseyed as Mr Darcy made the introductions, “Miss Elizabeth Bennet may I present Mrs Jeanne Annesley. Mrs Annesley, Miss Bennet has become a dear friend of my sister’s this fall with music and literature their primary topics of conversation whenever I am with them.”
Elizabeth smiled at Mr Darcy and said gently, “Sir, young ladies cannot score all of their conversations for the gentlemen to review.”
He smiled back and winked–the first time he had ever done so, and Elizabeth’s face broke into a wider smile.
“Mrs Annesley has been sent to me as a possible lady’s companion for my sister. My aunt Countess Matlock has interviewed her and while I reserved final approval, I am very pleased with the discussion we had before your arrival.”
Now Elizabeth paused and glanced between the woman and man, a different expression forming on her face. “What is my purpose then in attending this interview?”
“As Georgiana’s dear friend, I wanted you to meet Mrs Annesley as well and speak to her regarding my sister.”
“Very well, Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth said nodding her head at the man and stepped closer to Mrs Annesley. “I am very pleased to meet you madam. You will find Miss Darcy to be a sweet girl who wants to please her brother more than anything else in her life. She is gentle and bright with a thousand questions each day.”
“And how do you find her manner?” asked the lady. “Does she follow her brother’s strictures and rules?”
“Without reservation Mrs Annesley,” Elizabeth said before she leaned in and whispered, “Though I wonder if he approves of me as an influence on her some days.”
The lady laughed and whispered in return, “Miss Bennet, I believe Mr Darcy asked for your attendance to approve of me as companion for his sister.”
Blinking in surprise, Elizabeth lead Mrs Annesley to a window near the street where they spoke for several more minutes before Mr Darcy joined them again.
“Miss Bennet, I did not mean to keep you overlong,” he apologized. “Mr Gardiner requires that I keep to our agreed schedule for your visits as close as possible.”
“I understand Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth agreed. “Mrs Annesley, I believe that Miss Darcy will thrive under your charge.”
“And with your continued friendship MissBennet,” the lady added.
