Bennet was impressed by Holder’s library, and even more so when he was told the one here was only about a fourth of the size of the one at Holder Heights. He was shocked when Holder informed him that Darcy’s library at Pemberley made his large collection look insignificant. Bennet wondered if he would ever behold the magnificence that Holder described at the Darcy estate.
After looking about and admiring some of the first editions, Bennet sat in a wingback chair opposite Holder. “You have multiple estates, do you not?” he enquired.
“Yes, other than Holder Heights there are two more,not counting Hadlock, but that is administered by Jamey and belongs to whoever is viscount,” Holder replied.
“How do you effectively manage multiple estates? Until recently, all I had to worry about was Longbourn, and even with only one, I did not do all I should have. Now I have two estates; well, I suppose it could be three. However, Netherfield Park will be annexed to Longbourn as soon as the purchase is finalised.” Bennet explained how all of the land used to belong to Longbourn until his profligate ancestor gambled more than half of the estate away.
“I remain actively involved in the running of my estates even though I have good and honest stewards at each of them,” Holder responded. “I refuse to be an absentee landlord. I would suggest you do what I do, which is to split my time between my properties; that is, when I am not in London to sit in the House of Lords. As Holder Heights is my primary estate, I am there for far more time than at the satellite estates.”
“Once Netherfield Park is annexed to Longbourn, it will be my primary estate, a little larger than Rosings Park. I never saw the need for a steward at Longbourn, but I suppose now I will have to employ one,” Bennet mused. “Do you have any men you could recommend?”
“I may have one or two,” Holder returned. “However, I suggest you speak to Matlock and Darcy as well. They are both landlords with philosophies like mine, and I am sure they could recommend under-stewards who are ready.”
“Thank you; I will speak to them. My days of whiling my time away in my study are well and truly over.” Bennet saw the questioning look from Holder and explained what he meant without glossing over the parts which were not flattering to him. “Learning that Longbourn would not ever go to that late buffoon of a cousin of mine forced me out of my study and back to actively caring for my estate. That was before I knew of my de Bourgh connection and gaining a second estate.” As hespoke, Bennet’s eyes longingly looked towards the table with a board and pieces set up for chess.
Holder noticed the way Bennet looked at the chessboard. Soon, the men were playing against one another.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It was not too many minutes later that Jane, Jamey, and Elizabeth returned to the drawing room. “Mamma, Mother,”—she had been asked to call Lady Edith Mother after the engagement was announced—“Jamey and I have selected the twentieth day of June. It is a Saturday. Do either of you object to that date?”
“Not at all,” Fanny replied. She turned to her new friend. “Edith, are you sanguine with what they chose?”
“Indeed, I am. It is more than enough time, so there can be no question about there being a need to marry in haste,” Edith agreed. “Now Jane, you need to speak to your mother about where you want to marry. I understand that there is work being done to your estate’s manor house.”
“To insure that Mr Pierce who christened me officiates, I prefer to marry at St Hugh’s, the Longbourn Village Church. Then, we can have the wedding breakfast at Netherfield Park, can we not, Mamma?” Jane asked.
“That would be perfect, Jane,” Fanny confirmed. “It seems we have a plan.”
“Jamey, did you not tell me that the house, where the breakfast will be, has a ball room?” Lady Edith queried. She saw her son nod. “In that case, I would like to host a prewedding ball, if no one objects. We can have it three or four days before the wedding so everyone will be well rested beforehand.”
Fanny had no objections to her new friend’s plan.
Not long after the decisions about the wedding weremade, Lady Edith rang for tea. The girls returned from the music room. In the time they had been in company together, they had already begun to form a friendship. The two men in the library were well aware that their respective wives would not be impressed if they missed tea only to complete a game of chess. They were quite evenly matched.
An hour later, the Bennets left Holder House—after Holder and Bennet played to a draw—with plans to meet on the morrow when Jane and Fanny would tour Hadlock House.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When they arrived back at Bennet House, there was a note from Lady Elaine, inviting Elizabeth, at Lady Catherine’s request, to call at Matlock House on the morrow. When asked what the summons was about, Elizabeth could not offer any information as she was at a loss as to why Lady Catherine desired her presence.
The next morning when the Hadlock coach came to collect Fanny and Jane, Elizabeth was conveyed to Matlock House in the new Bennet carriage. When they arrived in Grosvenor Square, she noted that the houses around the square were a little larger than the one her father now owned. She liked the large green in the centre of the square. It was not overly manicured and boasted a stand of six to eight oak trees near the centre of the green. Elizabeth was aware that Darcy House was one of the houses surrounding the green; she just did not know which one. She was chaperoned by a maid Mrs Hurley assigned to join her that morning, and two de Bourgh footmen—no, they were now Bennet footmen—stood on the back bench.
The coach came to a halt in front of a house, and one of the footmen efficiently extended the step and opened the door. He offered his white-gloved hand to help the lady from the cabin. He then assisted the maid as well.
Elizabeth approached the front door and did not needto knock because it was opened as soon as she climbed to the second of four steps leading to a relatively large area before the front door but smaller than one would term a verandah.
“Miss Bennet?” the butler verified.
“Indeed, I am Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” Elizabeth confirmed. She waited as the butler took her outerwear, and then she and the maid—she had learnt her name was Jenny on the way to Matlock House—followed the butler into the house to a very grand staircase.
When the butler reached the first floor, he turned right and stopped at a set of double doors. He rapped once and entered when bidden to do so. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” the man intoned. He stood aside and allowed the lady to enter.
“Lady Elaine, Lady Catherine,” Elizabeth greeted as she curtsied to the ladies. As would be expected, Lady Catherine was in black.
“Elizabeth dear, your maid may go to the kitchens and wait until she is informed it is time to join you again. Catherine and I will be with you at all times so propriety will be observed,” Lady Elaine stated. She pulled a cord which rang a bell. The housekeeper soon entered and guided the maid out of the room. “Please be seated.”
There were many open places to sit, but Elizabeth chose one opposite the sisters-in-law.
