When he was five, William began lessons with a governess. It soon became apparent that he was a very intelligent boy who loved to read as soon as he learnt to do so. One of his favourite rooms in Pemberley’s mansion was the enormous library, which was one of the largest contained in a private home.
Even more than spending time in the library, William’s other favourite times were when he was with one or both of his parents. Unlike many in theTon,the Darcys did not believe the maxim that ‘children should be seen and not heard’. They did not treat William like he was something to be displayed when there were friends to impress. In fact, as unfashionable as it was considered, when there were no guests present, William would join his parents to break his fast and for dinner.
There were times when he was not allowed to spend time with Mamma. William did not understand why; all he was told was that she had to rest.
The truth was that since William’s birth, Lady Anne had experienced two more miscarriages. Because she had been determined not to raise Robert’s hopes, Anne did not tell him she was increasing. She wanted to wait until almost two months past the quickening because each of her disappointments had occurred either just before she would have expected to feel proof of her state, or within weeks after.
She knew that each time she miscarried it took more of her strength, but she was bound and determined that Robert would not know that she was suffering.
Another pastime William loved was riding. On his fifth birthday Mamma and Papa presented William with a pony. Before that, he had sat atop Papa’s stallion in front of his fathermany times as they rode together. It seemed that William had inherited the Darcys’ love of horses and riding.
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As he was instructed by his governess and then by masters as he got older, William also learnt other lessons, ones not from a book.
By his parents, he was taught what was right, but he was not taught to correct his temper. William was given good principles but left to follow them in pride and conceit. Unfortunately, as an only son, he was spoilt by Lady Anne and Darcy—especially by the former. Each time she lost a potential child, she poured more attention into her son and indulged him that much more. Though good themselves and without knowing it, this allowed, encouraged, and almost taught him to be selfish and overbearing. In addition, it taught him to care for none beyond his own family circle, to think meanly of all the rest of the world, and at least to think meanly of others’ sense and worth compared with his own. William formed his attitudes even while his father was an excellent landlord and master; in fact, he was everything that was benevolent and amiable and treated those dependent on him very well.
He was yet too young to understand that a large part of the way his parents treated him was to protect their one and only child with all of their ability.
What William was learning from his parents was only reinforced when the family travelled for the obligatory visit to Kent to spend time with the de Bourghs. His Aunt Catherine would go on about the importance of the distinction of rank and class. Even though he did not like her, her arrogant pronouncements found fertile ground in his young mind. Aunt Catherine always tried to force William to spend time with Cousin Anne, but as he had no interest in spending time with a girl who was three years his junior, William ignored thoseedicts issued by his aunt with his parents’ blessing.
The year William was to turn seven, Lady Catherine raised the subject of betrothing Anne to Fitzwilliam. Rather than bend to her will, Lady Anne rejected the premise out of hand.
When Lady Catherine attempted to demand acquiescence, Sir Lewis had commanded her to cease. She had receded, although with no good cheer.
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When William was eight, he had received a cob for that birthday. At the same time, his father’s long-time steward retired. After an extensive search, Darcy selected a Mr Lucas Wickham to replace him. The man had been an under steward at Castlemere—an estate belonging to the Duke of Hertfordshire—and then, for more than five years after that, steward at a medium-sized estate in Staffordshire. His characters were impeccable. When Darcy spoke to the prior employers, they had confirmed what they had written about Lucas Wickham.
Wickham had been happy where he was, but his wife, Hester, had pointed out that they needed to save for their son George’s future. Thus, she convinced Wickham that he needed to find a position with better remuneration. As his wife was a spendthrift, he did not think they would save anything. However, when he reported that he had been offered the position at Pemberley and his annual remuneration had doubled to eight hundred pounds, his wife had been very pleased.
Hester Wickham quickly forgot about the need to save for their son, and she spent as much as she was able.
As soon as Hester saw how wealthy the Darcys were, every opportunity she had, she began to hint to Mr Darcy that her poor dear George had no godfather if, heaven forfend, the worst occurred to her and her husband. At the same time, sheinstructed her son to make himself agreeable to Mr Darcy and ingratiate himself to Master Darcy.
Darcy found George Wickham to be very charming and did not object to him being included in games and riding with his son and nephews.
By the time William was ten and George nine, Darcy had agreed to stand as godfather for George Wickham. His Anne disagreed and stated that she did not think it was a good idea. As she was rather frail, Darcy did not argue the point, but neither did he change his mind.
When William, Andrew, and Richard would tell him how George would play pranks on others, sometimes maliciously, Darcy dismissed it as boys being boys. When George would come and tell him of misdeeds he claimed were perpetrated by William, Darcy applied the same standard, although he did ask William about some of the things ascribed to him. When William claimed that George was reporting the things he had done himself and blaming others, William included, Darcy had been confused.
William had been taught to always be truthful, and as far as he knew his son had never prevaricated. However, George had an air of truth about him. There was one thing, though. William had suggested that his father should speak to Richard and Andrew. Darcy was aware that his son would not have offered his cousins as witnesses if it were not true.
In his hubris, Darcy had not spoken to his nephews as his pride would not allow him to be proven wrong.
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Lady Anne Darcy felt the quickening in September 1795. By then, she had experienced an additional two disappointments. Just like she had resolved before, she waited just over a month after the quickening before she informed her Robertthat more than eleven years after William’s birth she was with child again.
Darcy asked his dear Anne when she had felt the quickening, and rather than be angry she had waited so long to tell him, he understood.
Feeling guilty about not sharing that she had suffered five miscarriages since William’s birth, Lady Anne told her husband all, including that she had been advised against bearing another child at the time.
Rather than feel anger that his wife had kept this important information from him, Darcy was worried. He had a deep-seated fear that he would lose his beloved wife. What was worse was that there was nothing he could do to change what would happen. It was all in God’s hands, so Darcy made sure to add words of prayer for his Anne’s health every day that his wife increased.
Lady Anne had a premonition that she would not survive delivering the child into the world.
She did not want to add to Robert’s concerns, so she summoned Mrs Reynolds one day. Lady Anne was seated in the private sitting room in the master suite. She was aware that Robert was on the estate with Mr Wickham.
