Page 51 of The Secret Diary of Anne de Bourgh

He had brought a book which he thought might interest me. There are descriptions of gardens in it, and several plans which he wished me to examine.

One showed a terrace with broad steps descending to a lawn. Beyond it were paths, clipped hedges and a great many beds arranged in a pattern.

“It is very handsome,” I said.

“I thought you would admire it.”

“I do. Though I should be afraid of planting anything in the wrong place; it looks very grand.”

He laughed. “I imagine that would be the gardener’s concern.”

“But I should wish to plant things myself.”

“Then you must have a garden of your own besides.”

He said it very readily, as though there could be no difficulty in providing another garden whenever one was wanted.

His sister leaned across to look at the drawing.

“Hugh has been planning houses and gardens ever since he first came to stay with us. I believe he could furnish an entire house tomorrow, if only he could decide which one to buy,” she said, with a teasing laugh.

“I should prefer to understand a little more about the land before making so considerable a purchase. I should purchase Pemberley, of course, since it is perfection, but I think even my fortune would never be sufficient to allow Darcy to part with it!”

“You understand him perfectly,” I said.

His sister was still teasing. “Have you decided which way the library is to face, in your perfect design?”

“Do not tease me, that is a matter of great importance!”

I agreed with him there. A library must have good light, and somewhere comfortable to sit, though the books themselves must be screened from direct sunlight by the positioning of the shelves, for their preservation. He began to describe houses he had lately visited, and what he liked and did not about each of them. This one was beautifully proportioned, but had no land. That one was very old and would need a deal of maintenance and perhaps a new roof before it could even be lived in. Another he described as “almost perfect… but has only ten guest bedrooms”.

“Ten guest bedrooms seems quite a generous number,” I remarked.

“Oh no, that would be quite insufficient. I would like a house where I could entertain a considerable number of people, with room for my sister and her husband to visit whenever they wished, and sufficient accommodation for other guests without putting anybody to inconvenience.”

I could see how pleasant he expected it to be. I wondered who would remember all the servants.

He asked whether I preferred a long gallery or a more compact arrangement of rooms.

“I should prefer not to have to walk very far when I had forgotten my book,” I confessed.

His sister laughed, and said that this was an excellent consideration which he had entirely neglected.

Mr Byerly took it in good part. He said he would consider it as one of the many requirements which must be satisfied before he could settle upon a house.

He really is very agreeable when one offers a different opinion to one he already holds. Not so much easily swayed as to change his own, I think, but not desirous of starting an argument in order to convince you that he must be correct. It is a pleasing quality in a gentleman.

After our visitors had gone, Georgiana asked whether I still wished to learn something of the pianoforte.

I had spoken of it before, but there had always seemed to be a reason to put it off. Today she had already placed a chair beside the instrument and found some very simple music for me.

There was little opportunity to be cowardly.

I could identify the notes upon the page rather more readily than I could persuade my fingers to find them. Georgiana was exceedingly patient. She moved my hand, showed me again, and did not laugh when I struck two notes together. By the end of the lesson I could play a very short passage, slowly, provided nobody spoke to me while I was doing it.

Georgiana seemed as pleased as though I had accomplished something remarkable.

I have promised to practise tomorrow.