Page 2 of Sweet on Mr Darcy

London

Dear Son,

We have been more than a fortnight now at Darcy House, and I am properly disturbed by your sister’s reticence. While she was always reserved, like yourself, her experience at school has had the consequence of crippling shyness. It took nearly a week for her to gain the courage to reply to dear Priscilla in conversation.

Lady Matlock is outraged and says this must be managed forthwith, before Georgiana’s new temperament becomes quite fixed. Returning to Pemberley has been denounced as impossible. Your sister needs society, which Lambton sadly cannot provide.

So we shall summer at our cottage in Ramsgate, and Priscilla will join us, as well as Mrs Younge, who seems to be very kind and solicitous of your sister. There are always ladies of every age there, and Lady Matlock deems Priscilla more than capable of guiding her cousin in society, and to teach her how to trade barbs without hurt feelings with other young ladies when necessary. Perhaps she can host a few small dinners or picnics if she makes friends there. I cannot deny that she needs to gain confidence, and badly.

I do not feel any weaker or stronger than I did when I left Pemberley. My condition remains quite the same, though Dr St. Giles says that to spend the summer at the seaside cannot do me anything but good. We travel on the fifteenth of June, and will likely stay through the end of August.

Will you have any time to join us there?

God bless you, Son,

Your affectionate father,

G.D.

Tuesday 23 June 1812

Darcy Cottage

Ramsgate

Dear Son,

We have been in Ramsgate above a sennight, and are well settled. I am grateful that Mrs Reynolds sent Mrs Lindgren to help Georgie manage the house. The deputy housekeeper from Pemberley is just who we needed with us.

I forget, I think, until I arrive and have time for quiet reflection, how happy we were here with your mother each summer. Do you recall how she cherished our summers in our cheerful seaside retreat? I feel better and happier than I can remember feeling for some time. I must make the effort to visit Ramsgate each year while I am still able. Dr St. Giles is quite right, our move has done me much good already.

We quickly made friends with a respectable family, the least mercenary people I believe I have ever met. Indeed, I think the gentleman hardly thought a moment in his life about money until he finally had a son, and he is now rightfully sorry, for though his five daughters have dowries from an investment made by their late mother, he has not spent his years improving his estate as he ought, believing it would go to a distant cousin.

Still, while it is obvious that though his current wife likely married with an eye to practicality rather than love, his daughters are quite oblivious to financial concerns. The youngest is full young, and of an age with Georgiana. The eldest is twenty-three, and the others range in age between. Each of the young ladies have singled Georgiana out for their attention for some particular merit or interest rather than her station, and though they are all quite different in character, I believe your sister derives a great benefit from their company. I was surprised at how quickly she took to them, and in their presence, her reserve soon falls away.

The Bennet family is in Ramsgate for the health of Mrs Bennet, who is weakened from the birth of her son some seven or so months ago. Bennet is marvellously well-read, and well worth crossing in chess, though he can be mercurial and his wit is cutting if someone displeases him. As I stated above, it is as if he only just realised he ought to worry about money, and now welcomes discussions about diversifying one’s income.

I also learned that his brother-in-law by his late first wife is none other than the intrepid Edward Gardiner who married one of our village girls some years back and with whom we have investments in London. The investment which provided dowries for his daughter was none other than the same East Indian venture that I invested in (which you were so concerned about), and they did quite as well as we did from it.

With the encouragement of the new Mrs Bennet, it will not be long before Mr Bennet begins to improve his income. The daughters are all quite pretty, though none of them seems to have thoughts of advancing their positions through marriage. The two youngest Miss Bennets have recently discovered officers, the middle is too serious, and the two eldest are too genteel to discuss such matters openly.

Speaking of officers, Wickham followed us to Ramsgate at my desire, and I have persuaded him to take a lieutenancy in a militia that is training here for the summer. I was inclined to allow him to stay at Darcy Cottage with us, but Lady Matlock and Priscilla created such an unnecessary fuss that I was obliged to obtain rooms for him. His colonel did not like the idea of him staying so far from the camp in any case, so it is all for the best. I am certain that this will be the making of Wickham.

Perhaps that is what he has been needing. Training and discipline have done wonders for Richard, but Wickham would not yet hear of taking a commission in the regulars. I have promised him that if he does well in the militia I will purchase him a captaincy. He promises to consider taking a commission in the regulars later if the training suits him. If he would apply himself, in time he might make a splendid colonel. I have a sense that this time will be different with my godson. He will make us proud.

Will you join us here? I should think that you ought to be at leisure by July. How was the timber harvest? And the new barn for John Trudel? Did it go up on schedule? I hope he is pleased by it.

God bless you, Son,

Your affectionate father,

G.D.

1 May was a critical time in the Regency for ensuring high milk production. Particular care was taken to ensure the health of livestock at this time of year.

Chapter Two

Saturday 23 May 1812