With a mutter of excuse, she hurried off, leaving the three young ladies alone. Elizabeth settled back in her seat and raised an eyebrow at her friend. “I trust you’re here to offer congratulations on our return,” she said dryly, “or perhaps to share news of the latest scandal in Meryton?”
“Oh, certainly,” Charlotte replied, “for you must know, the whole town has been in uproar since the latest rumors about Netherfield began this morning. Mrs. Long said she was ‘sure’ she saw your uncle’s carriage yesterday, closely following a strange one with two wealthy-looking gentlemen inside. Almost as if you were travelingtogether,hmm?”
Elizabeth shot her sister a wry look. “Almost.”
Charlotte grinned. “Well, I thought it prudent to come and hear your side of the story, since I could hardly trust anyone else’s.”
Jane coughed. “What is being said? We have not heard much of Meryton’s opinion yet, only that there seem to be some concerns about Sir Thomas’s… ability to keep the estate.”
Charlotte leaned forward, lowering her voice slightly. “More than concerns, I am afraid. Some things have worsened substantially in the two months you were away.”
A knot formed in Elizabeth’s stomach. “Tell us, Charlotte.”
“Some of the townsfolk—most, in fact—have been saying for some time that surely Sir Thomas will have to leave Netherfield soon. Good riddance, they all say.”
“Oh, but that is old stuff. You said as much in your last letter,” Jane replied. “Whatmoreis there?” She emphasized this with a significant widening of her eyes and an odd tilt of her head that drew Elizabeth’s notice.
Charlotte cleared her throat. “Yes. Ah… Mr. Archer—you remember, my father just brought on a new man of all work, and he came to us directly from Netherfield—he verified it all last week. He insisted it was only a matter of time.”
Elizabeth’s brows furrowed, a pang of disappointment prickling her. “So, the rumorsaretrue, then? Sir Thomas will lose Netherfield?”
Charlotte hesitated, glancing between Elizabeth and Jane, her expression a mix of sadness and sympathy. “It is very likely. Mr. Archer heard it from Mr. Jackson himself, the head coachman. The estate is simply too costly for Sir Thomas to maintain alone, especially with all the… expenses he has there.”
“I imagine the vicar is pleased,” Elizabeth grumbled, shaking her head.
“Oh, yes,” Charlotte sighed. “Most in Meryton think he should abandon his efforts, or at least keep his affairsmuchmore discreet. A few have even gone so far as to say that if he cannot afford his own household, he certainly cannot afford all hisotherendeavors, and they think very ill of him for it. I am sorry to say that most are wishing for his failure.”
Elizabeth folded her arms and glanced out the window. “It is a shame that kindness and good sense should not be enough to secure him a welcome in this town. What a miserable state of affairs.”
Charlotte gave a small, sad smile. “Perhaps that is why he will be grateful if some other gentleman should be interested in taking on the lease. It might give him some relief—though I will be sorry to see him abandon Netherfield entirely.”
Jane tilted her head, a frown tugging at the corners of her mouth. “It is all so terribly sad. I cannot help but wish there was something more to be done.”
“Oh, Jane,” Charlotte sighed. “Sad, yes, but hardly unusual.” She turned her gaze to Elizabeth. “Even if he could afford to stay at Netherfield, Papa says he believes Sir Thomas was going to be forced to remove eventually. The town simply does not wish for him to stay—some talk of refusing to take business from Netherfield, although I believe there is nothing in it… yet. If Sir Thomas was not so diligent about paying his debts, I am sure they would do more than just talk about turning away his business.”
Jane’s brow furrowed. “Oh, dear. I hope that Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy are not turned away by such talk.”
Elizabeth gave a nonchalant shrug, though her interest was piqued. “We can hardly assume they are aware of all the gossip just yet. Perhaps they merely wish for a bit of land and peace. Not every gentleman has such a sensitive constitution.”
Charlotte smiled at that. “Then let us hope they are made of stern enough stuff, for the welcome they are likely to receive from Meryton is not a warm one.”
As Darcy and Bingleyfinished the last of their breakfast, the maid who had been tending the room approached with a slight curtsy. “Mr. Roberts will be along shortly to conduct you on a tour of the house, sirs.”
“Oh, jolly good. Thank you,” Bingley said.
They waited several minutes, during which Bingley polished off a second helping of cold ham and cast frequent glances toward the door. Finally, Roberts appeared, a little out of breath as he paused to straighten his coat before stepping into the room. His posture was impeccable, though his expression looked somewhat overwrought.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” he greeted them, nodding politely. “I trust you found breakfast to your satisfaction?”
Bingley rose with an easy smile. “Very much so, Mr. Roberts. I am sure we have our work cut out for us if we mean to match such a spread at Netherfield.”
“Sir Thomas takes pride in his hospitality,” Roberts replied. “If it suits, I am here to guide you through the house as you requested.”
“Indeed, lead on,” Darcy said, rising as well, his gaze drifting back to the maid who had announced Roberts. As she lingered near the door, Darcy found himself wondering about the curious assortment of staff he had encountered thus far. The mix of youth and experience, each person marked by something distinct, something unusual—it was hard to ignore.
Roberts gestured for them to follow as he led the way down the hall. “Here we have the library,” he said, opening the double doors to reveal a beautifully appointed room, lined floor-to-ceiling with volumes on polished walnut shelves. “Sir Thomas has taken care to maintain the library in fine order. I believe it is one of his favorite rooms.”
“Remarkable,” Darcy murmured, his gaze sweeping over the room. It was evident that Sir Thomas’s library had been amassed with both care and ambition. Each shelf was immaculately organized, volumes arranged by subject and era, the collection spanning from Greek and Roman histories to modern studies on agriculture and estate management.
