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He looked around his estate again, imaging for just a moment the satisfaction he would feel were Elliot stood next to him, hand in hand, life in life. He was, of course, completely oblivious to the fact that he was not the only one viewing Pemberley at that exact moment and would come to wonder many months later how it might have felt had he been aware. For a handful of days previously the Gardiners had arrived at Longbourn and spirited Elliot north.
Their destination?
Derbyshire.
Forty-Four
The Gardiners had planned to arrive in Longbourn for late May, but their trip was delayed by urgent matters at their place of work, so it was June by the time they arrived and getting on for July once they left. Their trip had been planned for a full six weeks, but those work matters had shortened the trip to just three, making the journey to the lakes impossible. The Gardiners had therefore settled on Derbyshire.
In that county they assured Elliot was enough to occupy the chief of their three weeks, and to the youngest Mr. Gardiner there was a peculiarly strong attraction. Prior to his mating, he had passed some years in the area, and was keen to share the celebrated beauties of Matlock, Chatsworth, Dovedale, and the Peak with his favoured nephew.
Elliot was disappointed. He had set his heart on seeing the lakes and had compiled a list of specimens he would collect. However, that disappointment soon turned to a happy agreement when the older Mr. Gardiner presented him with a beautifully engraved book on the various flora and fauna of the Derbyshire area and Elliot was able to compile a new list.
And so, they began their journey, the first week of which was taken up with a warm, leisurely journey north, and visits to anything and everything of interest on the way. Elliot particularly enjoyed a visit to the midlands where they stopped at an estate of one of the richest alphas in the country. She was nowhere to be seen, they were never at home, but her gardens were spectacular, and Elliot spent almost a full day within them.
By the time they made it to Derbyshire proper, Elliot had reflected on and worked through the anxiety that had filled him when he had realised that they were to visit Darcy’s county. It was a significant area and Darcy did not own it all, and the likelihood of them meeting was slim at best. At least that was what Elliot told himself and that was what comforted him, until one evening, at dinner in the very pretty inn they were staying for a few nights, Mr. Robert Gardiner declared that anyone of good society who visited Derbyshire was also obliged to visit one of its principal estates, Pemberley.
“What say you, Elliot?” he asked. “I understand that you know a little of the Darcys?”
“I am sure it is much too far away to warrant the trip,” Elliot said quickly.
“Nonsense,” the older Mr. Gardiner replied. “It is but six miles from here.”
Elliot’s stomach lurched. “I would rather not accompany you there,” he said as nonchalantly as he could. “Perhaps I could remain here at the inn instead. I have a number of specimens that I need to catalogue. I mentioned, did I not, that they will form part of my portfolio for my application for an apprenticeship.”
“Do not be so dreary, Elliot,” Mr. Gardiner said. “It is a beautiful estate and a chief pleasure of this trip.”
“But the Darcys?—”
“Will doubtless by away from home,” he replied. “And even if they were not, they would pretend to be! It would be exhausting would it not, entertaining everyone who turned up for a tour! We are not alphas. We’ll get the housekeeper at best!”
Elliot could see no way out of it, not least because creating even more of a fuss might lead to indelicate questions that Elliot was not willing or able to answer. Besides, if he were very honest with himself, he was oddly fascinated by the prospect of seeing Darcy’s home, and he could not deny that his skin was prickling again at the thought of being so close to Darcy, even if it was just the place where he spent most of his time!
And so it was that the next morning, as Darcy and Bingley were on their walk, that Elliot and the Gardiners set out, driving along, watching for the first appearance of Pemberley.
They made their way through acres and acres of agricultural land until they finally saw the park that surrounded the main house. It was significant and contained a great variety of grounds, which they saw quite a bit of as they entered it in one of its lowest points and drove for some time through a beautiful wood stretching over a wide extent.
Elliot was delighted by it and his mind was, thankfully, too full for conversation. He saw and admired every remarkable spot and point of view, made notes in his book about the flora and the fauna, and by the time they gradually ascended to where the woodland ceased, they finally saw Pemberley House. It was situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills, and accompanied by a stream which was as natural as any Elliot had ever seen, its banks neither formal nor falsely adorned.
Elliot was captivated. He had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by the falsity of an awkward taste.
He almost laughed as he considered, had he accepted Darcy’s offer, this would be his home, and he would be at leisure to walk these grounds to his heart’s content! But then…Elliot looked across at his favoured uncles. Darcy would likely have requested that Elliot cease relations with his family, and so he would have been here alone, reduced to brief visits only to Longbourn and Cheapside. That thought came at just the right moment and saved Elliot from an overwhelming regret…a feeling that had become far too familiar.
They descended the hill, crossed the bridge, and drove to the door. The house itself was much, much bigger close up, and did not enchant Elliot as the grounds had. His apprehension returned, and he couldn’t help but wonder where Darcy was, what he was doing, who he was with. These thoughts had plagued Elliot constantly in the past months, and his only defence against them was to gather them up and lock them all away lest they pain his heart continually.
The Gardiners went ahead and requested entry to Pemberley House whilst Elliot readied himself for what was to come. They were quickly given entry and were accompanied into a large hall where they awaited the housekeeper—a respectable-looking elderly woman who was exceedingly civil and happy to provide a tour.
She led them into room after room, all of them handsomely fitted up. Elliot surveyed them all a little, but he mostly went to the windows to enjoy the views. In each room he could see a different view of the hill or the river or the trees scattered on its banks, and the winding of the valley, as far as he could trace it. Elliot viewed them all with delight. Longbourn’s grounds were beautiful, it was true. Netherfield’s too were impressive. But Pemberley was something else entirely.
As they passed into other rooms Elliot noted that they were all lofty, all handsome, and their furniture suitable to the fortune of its proprietor. Nothing was gaudy nor uselessly fine, with less of splendour, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings.
Elliot longed to inquire of the housekeeper whether her master was really absent but had not the courage for it. At length however, the question was asked by Mr. Gardiner and Elliot’s heart seemed to freeze as Mrs. Reynolds replied, “Indeed he is at home but away for the day.”
Elliot did not know whether to rejoice or to repine on the fact that if their journey had been delayed by just a day…but no, that was not something to think upon, and Elliot resolved not to, even as his heart raced as Mr. Gardiner called him over to view a series of pictures.
He approached and saw the likeness of Mr. Wickham, suspended, amongst several other miniatures, over the mantelpiece. The youngest Gardiner grinned as he asked how Elliot liked it. The housekeeper came forward and told them it was a picture of a young gentleman, the son of Lady Anne’s steward, who had been brought up by her at her own expense.
“He is now gone into the army,” she added. “But I am afraid he has turned out very wild.”
