Rebuilding Pemberley Read online

  Rebuilding Pemberley

  Melanie Schertz

  Copyright © 2017 Melanie Schertz

  All rights reserved.

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  DEDICATION

  This story is dedicated to my family, especially to my daughters, by birth and by heart. Caitlin and Heather, I will always love both of you. Thank you for bringing so much joy to my life.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you to Jane Austen for her timeless characters that have brought joy and entertainment to so many for over 200 years.

  Thank you to my sister by choice, Kay Tanner, for her British input to make my books better. One day, we will get together and share a cup (you coffee, me tea) and discuss our love of Mr Darcy.

  Thank you to Jeanna Ellsworth Lake for your photo for the cover.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems without the permission in writing from the publisher, Melanie Schertz.

  This is a work of fiction, the characters, locations, and events portrayed are fictitious or used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons is coincidental and unintended by author.

  Chapter 1

  Pemberley was on fire. The drought in the neighborhood had left the area ripe to burn. And so, it did. The west wing of the manor house of the grand estate burst into flame in the middle of the night. With little to stop the flames, in two days it had devoured most of the estate.

  Most of the staff and all of the family had been sleeping when the fire began. Sluggish responses were costly to many. Confused and dazed, servants attempted to escape the building, only to find themselves trapped. While Gerald Darcy attempted to rescue servants, Lady Anne Darcy rushed to aid her two children from their home. Their son, Fitzwilliam Darcy, who was twelve at the time, had already dressed in breeches and a shirt and was pulling on his boots.

  “Mother, I am fine. Help Georgiana.” He shouted to his mother. The Darcys’ younger child was a one year old girl.

  Lady Anne hurried towards the nursery, but before she could reach the door, she heard cracking coming from above her. Looking up, she witnessed the fiery beam as it broke free from the ceiling and came crashing down on her. The last thing that Lady Anne knew was her son’s gentle touch on her forehead.

  Fitzwilliam had run after his mother, planning to aid her in retrieving his sister. The boy witnessed the beam as it crashed down, taking his mother’s life. “Mother!” He screamed as he ran to his mother’s side. Unable to reach her hand, he touched her gently near her hairline. “Mother, I will find help. Stay with me Mother. We will take you from the house and send for the physician.”

  “Take your sister outside. You must protect Georgiana. Watch over her and tell her how much I love her.”

  “You can tell her yourself.” The boy was pulling at the beam that was crushing his mother. “Please, Mother, I love you.”

  Lady Anne smiled. Her eyes took in the vision of her son, and she knew her time was short. “William, I will always be with you. I am in your heart. And I love you dearly. No mother could be prouder of her child. Do not ever forget that I love you.”

  “I will never forget, Mother.” Though the lad wished his mother to be well, deep inside, he knew she was leaving him forever.

  “My son, promise me that you will find someone to love and cherish you. Do not settle when choosing a partner for your life. When you meet the young lady who will capture your heart, love her dearly.”

  “But how will I know who she is?” William asked, wiping at the tears that were mixing with the soot on his cheeks.

  “The moment you meet, you will know her, as I did when I met your father. There will be a little voice inside you that will tell you when you meet her. Cherish her and do not allow anything to stand in your path to love.”

  William nodded his head. “I promise, Mother. I promise to do as you say. Please, Mother, I cannot lose you.”

  As Lady Anne faded from the world of the living, her eyes fluttered. “My William…my good boy. I will always be in your heart.”

  When Fitzwilliam was found by servants, he was sitting on the floor next to the body of his mother, his hand caressing her hair. The boy had to be lifted and carried from the location, as he kicked and shouted to stay with his mother.

  “Master Fitzwilliam, we must get you to safety. Your mother would have wanted you safe.” The voice of the butler stated.

  “My sister, I must get my sister from the house.”

  “Miss Darcy is safe. Her nanny took her out through the servants’ passage. Mrs Reynolds is with Miss Darcy. Come, sir. We must take you outside as well.”

  The boy allowed the butler to pull him from the house, taking him to where the housekeeper stood, holding his sister in her arms. Mrs Reynolds had always been kind and caring, having been the housekeeper since Fitzwilliam as only four years old.

  When the elder woman saw the heir to Pemberley, she cried out. “Master William, you are safe. I have been so worried for you.” Seeing the tear streaks on the child’s cheek, Mrs Reynolds looked up to the face of the butler. The man shook his head slightly. He silently mouthed Lady Anne’s name, before looking down at the boy he had been holding.

  Finally finding his voice, Fitzwilliam spoke. “Georgiana, is she well?”

  “She is frightened, but unharmed. I am certain that she would be calmer if you were to hold her.” The housekeeper declared, wishing to give the young boy an occupation while all around him was falling apart. Mrs Reynolds led the children to a wagon, which had been hitched up to be used to haul supplies. Instead, it would be an oasis for the children, keeping them safe from the raging inferno surrounding them.

  The blaze continued for two days and nights. It devoured the manor house, the outlining buildings, most of the farms, and nearly all of the tenant homes. Of the fifteen farms and tenant homes, only three remained without damage. The crops that were not burned were damaged, and would bring little when harvest occurred.

  With more than two hundred people living and working at Pemberley, twenty six, including Lady Anne Darcy, had lost their lives in those two days. No family was left untouched by the devastation. Many were injured, requiring a physician to attend them. Some of the people were able to find shelter with relations in the nearby merchant village of Lambton. The stable in the village opened the loft to house some of the displaced people. Gerald Darcy, his two children, and a handful of servants stayed at the inn.

  Lord Matlock, brother of Lady Anne, came to the inn, to ensure the safety of his niece and nephew, and to assist in the aftermath. As expected, Gerald was devastated by his wife’s death, and was unable to perform even the simplest task. Lord Matlock, Henry Fitzwilliam, took charge of arranging the funeral of his sister and many of the others who had perished at Pemberley. His sons and wife joined him, staying at the inn, attempting to aid their loved ones.

  Fitzwilliam, known to his family as William, devoted his attention on his sister, seeing to her every need. By doing so, he was able to bury his grief deep inside. He refused to share his feelings, even to his closest cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam. The cousins had been more like brothers, and Richard made every attempt to protect William.

  The steward of Pemberley lost his wife, leaving him with his young son, who was a playmate of William’s. Amos Wickham had been devoted to the Darcy family, and now had the difficult position of dealing with the aftermath of the fire. His son, George, was bitter over the loss of his mother. George was angry with his father for not being in their cottage when the fire had spread there. To the boy’s way of thinking, if his father had been with them, George would not have lost his mothe
r. While Amos began organizing the clean up, his son was regulated to the family of one of the tenants who still had a home. Amos was not able to mourn his wife, nor comfort his son. He refused to allow his pain to rule his life, so he dedicated himself to the estate he had loved for years.

  Once everything was handled at the estate, including the funeral of Lady Anne, Lord and Lady Matlock organized the moving of their loved ones and staff to the Darcy townhouse in London. From there, anything needed for the estate could be purchased and sent to Derbyshire. And the children could find some sort of regularity, in an environment that was familiar to them.

  Upon arrival at Darcy House, Gerald walked into his study, locking the door behind him. He was rarely seen outside the room, and only a few people were allowed inside the room. Gerald would send request of more bottles of port, and refused any attempts of his staff to partake of the food they continued bringing to the study. Even his valet was turned away.

  After a week, Lord Matlock borrowed the key from Mr Jorgens, the butler of Darcy House, and opened the door of the study. His brother in law was unconscious, his head and arms draped over the desk, an empty port bottle on its side next to him. The earl of Matlock motioned for a servant to place a tray containing food and coffee, on the sideboard. When the maid left the room, she closed the door behind her. Henry Fitzwilliam stepped to the window, pulling the drapes back to allow the sunlight to enter the room. The brightness stirred the intoxicated man.

  “Close the curtains. I do not wish to be disturbed.”

  “Gerald, sit up. It is time we spoke.”

  The gentleman opened his eyes, looking at his wife’s brother. “Go away Henry. I do not wish for company.”

  “That is your problem, Gerald. My problem is watching my sister’s children suffering and their father is wallowing in self pity. It is high time someone told you to see to their needs.”

  “Mrs Reynolds can do more for them than I can. She is in charge of their welfare.” Gerald still did not lift his head.

  “No, Brother. Anne would want you to care for your children. They are part of her, worthy of being cherished. You will have some coffee and food, then go to your rooms and allow your valet to make you look presentable, and then you will be spending time with William and Georgiana. Do I make myself clear?”

  “You have no right to dictate my life, Henry. My mourning is too painful.”

  “If you do not adhere to my words, I will send for Catherine. You know my elder sister would love getting your children in her grasp. For years, she has wished to mold your son to her liking. With the death of her husband, and only having a daughter, Catherine is determined to have a husband for her daughter. And she wishes for him to be under her thumb, so she can continue to run Rosings Park. Sir Louis’ will clearly states that if her Anne is not married by the time she is five and twenty, the estate reverts to Sir Louis’ cousin and Catherine is forced to move to Town, to the townhouse. She has no desire to lose her estate, and would do whatever she needs to keep her reign.”

  “My Anne would never allow such an arrangement. She wished for our children to find love.” Gerald’s eyes became blurry, as tears welled up. “But love is painful. Perhaps it is better for my son to marry for convenience. Save his heart from what I am forced to endure now that your sister is gone.”

  Lord Matlock moved closer to his brother in law. “Do you really wish to ruin the lives of your children, placing them in the hands of my elder sister, and refusing them a chance to be loved? You did not deserve my dear sister, Anne. Anne would be disappointed in your behavior. Is that what you want? My sister looking down from heaven, seeing your neglect of her children, and thinking they would be better without love? I am disgusted. I only threatened you with Catherine in an attempt to snap you from your wallowing. If you do not wish to have your children with you, they will come to Matlock House with my family. Richard and William are close friends, it will be good for your son to have someone he can speak with during this time of change.”

  “Do as you wish. I have lost everything else, I might just as well lose my children. Take them and be gone.” Gerald waved his hand in dismiss, then returned to his self pity.

  Having had his fill of Gerald Darcy’s behavior, Henry Fitzwilliam went upstairs to his nephew’s rooms. Only a few months had passed since William had been moved from the nursery to his rooms in the family wing. Lady Anne had determined her son to be old enough, as he was older in behavior than his years spoke. She had always referred to her son as being an old soul.

  Reaching the door of William’s suite, Lord Matlock knocked. He heard a soft voice call for him to enter, so he opened the door and walked inside.

  “William, I just left your father.”

  The boy looked down at the floor. “And is he well? I have not seen him since we arrived in London.”

  The elder man sat down on the side of the bed, patting on the mattress as an indication for his nephew to join him. Once William was seated beside him, Lord Matlock began to speak.

  “My dear boy, we must have a serious discussion. Your father is suffering tremendously. Your mother’s death had brought extreme pain to your father, and I know no other way to assist him. He has refused to eat the food that is brought to him, or take care of his personal needs. When I attempted to discuss you and your sister, he stated I should turn you over to your aunt, Lady Catherine.”

  William’s eyes grew round, like saucers. Seeing the fear in the lad’s expression, the uncle patted his hand on William’s knee. “Do no fret my boy. I will not allow such torment to happen. As I told your father, I will take you and Georgiana to my home. What do you think? Would you like to live at Matlock House? We can arrange the room next to Richard’s for you.”

  “I could not leave Father. Georgiana and I are all he has left.”

  “Fitzwilliam Francis Darcy, you do not have to take care of your father. He is a grown man, who is allowing his grief to destroy him. You and your sister deserve to be tended, cared for, and loved. If your father cannot see to your needs before his own, then I will take charge of you and Georgiana.”

  “Mrs Reynolds has been seeing to Georgiana’s care. She cares for us, especially Georgiana. You know that Mrs Reynolds lost her husband and son.” William looked up at his uncle. “I believe she needs us to fill the emptiness she is feeling. When I go to the nursery, I find her sitting in the rocking chair, holding my sister and humming to Georgiana. Georgie, she has been frightened, crying out when she sleeps. Nightmares from the fire.”

  “I can imagine it is difficult for both of you.” The earl draped his arm around the shoulders of his nephew. “And have you had difficulties sleeping?”

  Though his words denied the question, it was obvious William had been suffering as much as his sister.

  “Why do you not come to Matlock House for a few days. Give your father a chance to pull himself together?”

  Sitting tall, William shook his head. “Mother would want me to remain here, with Father. He needs me, and Georgiana, to help him through his grief.”

  “Very well. You know you are always welcome to come to Matlock House and the estate. There is no need to ask, you will always have rooms prepared for the two of you.”

  ~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~

  Chapter 2

  Ten years had passed since the death of Lady Anne Darcy. Her husband survived her by six years, though his family had always believed that he died that night, with his wife. What was left of Gerald Darcy after losing his beloved was only a shell of the man.

  In the ten years, William had made considerable strides in repairing the estate to being productive. The thirty five horses they had been breeding when the lightning struck Pemberley, were soon sold for the funds. William began listening to his uncle when he was speaking of crops. The few tenant farms still functioning at Pemberley were nurtured, and the rest of the land was treated to revive it to being rich and fertile. William read every book he could find on methods of rotating crops and making the soil
healthier. At the ripe old age of fifteen, he saw to the rebuilding of tenant homes, before a manor house was planned and constructed. He thought of Pemberley’s people, doing what was best for them first, and for his family second.

  The funds from the sale of the horses went a long way towards the repairs to the cottages and the land. Unknown before his mother’s death, William learned that she had set aside twenty thousand pounds she had inherited from an aunt, and those funds were in the Bank of England. With his mother’s money, the young man invested some of the funds with a businessman to whom he had been introduced, Mr Fredrick Bingley. Mr Bingley had been in trade all of his life, and dreamed of one day becoming a member of the landed gentry. His son, Charles, who was near William in age, soon became best friends with the heir of Pemberley. Mr Bingley introduced William to a business acquaintance, Mr Edwin Gardiner. Mr Gardiner owned a warehouse for his import business. He was well known in Town for having a keen mind for investments, and was able to assist the younger Darcy in building his financial worth.

  Rather than going to the university, William was taught by masters at the townhouse. This allowed him to be available to assist with the needs of his sister, and taking up the role that his father should have handled. Between the masters, his uncle, Mr Bingley and Gardiner, the young man quickly learned what needed to be done and how to go about making life better.

  Georgiana was extremely shy, refusing to be in company with those outside their family and the closest of friends. One of the most difficult relationships was with the Bingley family. Fredrick and Charles Bingley were kind and pleasant to be around. It was Charles’ sisters, Louisa and Caroline, who were difficult. Both of the young ladies wished to rid themselves of the taint of the Bingley fortune coming from trade. They desired to rise into higher society, and being part of the Darcy family could open doors to the upper crust. The way the sisters fawned over William and Georgiana frightened the young girl. When she knew the Bingley sisters were to visit or dine at Darcy House, she would beg her brother to remain in the nursery with Mrs Reynolds.