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“Indeed!” Mr. Gardiner said.
“And that,” said Mrs. Reynolds, pointing to another of the miniatures, “is Mr. Darcy. It was drawn at the same time as the other, about eight years ago.”
“I have heard much of your master’s fine person,” said Mr. Gardiner, looking at the picture. “It is a handsome face. But, Elliot, you can tell us whether it is a true likeness or not.”
Mrs. Reynolds’ respect for Elliot seemed to increase on this intimation of her knowing her master.
“Does that young man know Mr. Darcy?”
Elliot flushed, his heart racing terribly at the image of Darcy in front of him. How had he not realised before just how handsome Darcy was? “A little,” he eventually said.
“And do not you think him a very handsome gentleman, sir?”
“Yes,” Elliot said softly. “Very handsome.”
“I am sure I know none so handsome, but in the gallery upstairs you will see a finer, larger picture of him than this. This room was Lady Anne’s favourite room, and these miniatures are just as they used to be then. She was very fond of them.”
This accounted for Mr. Wickham’s being among them, as Elliot was sure that had Darcy not been so respectful of his late mama’s wishes they would have been removed.
Mrs. Reynolds then directed their attention to one of Miss Darcy, drawn when she was only eight years old.
“And is Miss Darcy as handsome as her brother?” asked Mr. Robert Gardiner.
“Oh! Yes, more so if I am honest, and so accomplished! She plays and sings all day long. In the next room is a new instrument just come down for her, a present from Mr. Darcy.”
Mr. Robert Gardiner, whose manners were very easy and pleasant, praised the instrument and Mrs. Reynolds, either by pride or attachment, had evidently great pleasure in talking of her master and his sister.
“Is your master much at Pemberley in the course of the year?” Mr. Gardiner asked.
“Not so much as I could wish, sir,” Mrs. Reynolds replied. “But I understand that he is to spend the rest of the year here at least.”
“If your master would mate, you might see more of him.”
Mrs. Reynolds nodded her approval of that. “Yes, sir, but I do not know when that will be. I do not know who is good enough for him.”
Mr. and Mr. Gardiner smiled. Elliot could not help saying, “It is very much to his credit, I am sure, that you should think so.”
“I say no more than the truth, and everybody will say that who knows him,” the housekeeper added. “I have never known a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old.”
Elliot opened his mouth to say more but closed it quickly when he realised that it would do him no good to know more of Mr. Darcy!
“There are very few people of whom so much can be said,” Mr. Gardiner said instead. “You are lucky in having such a master.”
“Yes, sir, I know I am. If I were to go through the world, I could not meet with a better. But I have always observed that those who are good-natured when children, are good-natured when they grow up, and he was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted boy in the world.”
Elliot turned away. He did not want to hear anymore. The Darcy he knew against the one Mrs. Reynolds knew…how could they be resolved?
“His mother was an excellent woman,” said the older Mr. Gardiner as the made their way back into the hallway. “I met her once, many years past, just briefly, but I was struck by how regal she was.”
“Yes, sir, she was indeed.” And Mrs. Reynolds went on to describe how Lady Anne had looked after the estate and all who lived on it, and how Mr. Darcy had done just the same. “He is the best landlord, and the best master,” she said. “Not like the wild young men nowadays, who think of nothing but themselves. There is not one of his tenants or servants who would not say as much. Some people call him proud, but I am sure I never saw anything of it. To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men.”
On reaching the spacious lobby above they were shown into a very pretty sitting room, lately fitted up with greater elegance and lightness than the apartments below and were informed that it was but just done to give pleasure to Miss Darcy, who had taken a liking to the room when last at Pemberley.
“He is certainly a good brother,” said Elliot, as he walked towards one of the windows.
“And this is always the way with him,” Mrs. Reynolds said. “Whatever can give his sister any pleasure is sure to be done in a moment. There is nothing he would not do for her.”
The picture-gallery, and two or three of the principal bedrooms, were all that remained to be shown. In the former were many good paintings but Elliot knew nothing of the art and was interested in only one portrait. He found it quickly, and when he did that same regret washed over Elliot so quickly and so fully that it was all he could do not to curse himself and everyone around him.
