Chapter 13

Because there were two palaces full of shockingly expensive items, the estate sale would span over an entire week. Montague somehow managed to get Lydia an advance preview of the contents of the houses, and she had many lists and plans in her head. The superiority of the housewares was incomparable, and Lydia would be bidding against some of the richest and most titled persons in the land for such goods, including many of her sister's good friends, and also her rivals. Everyone who was anyone would be there, and although Lydia knew it was going to make quite a splash in society, she planned to buy almost everything she saw that did not have a crest upon it. It was going to cost an absolute fortune, but it would also make the hotel famous, Lydia knew.

It went just as she planned. Miss Lydia Bennet sat with her uncle and advisors as each item was brought forth, and calmly outbid everyone for everything she wanted. There were six different designs of the gold and even platinum band porcelain plate she wanted, and Lydia outraged Lady Jersey by buying all of them. She outraged nearly everyone in the room as she followed suit with thousands of crystal goblets, snifters, and flutes, furniture, four state beds, as well as everything in between.

The next day, the front of The Times was a feature speculating upon the obvious opulence to be expected the following June at The Sanditon Grande. Over the following week, the newspapers reported in great detail every single piece of art and furniture that Lydia purchased, as well as many features on the amenities of the new town, much to Lydia's delight. Particular attention from the matrons of London was paid to the information about the Children's Theatre, no one ever having heard of such a thing before, and every mother wished to obtain tickets to treat their children to such an event. An express arrived from Joan in Sanditon, with the news that so many more requests had arrived for reservations that the hotel would be quite full for the entire summer, and they were creating a cancellation list and a waitlist for the following summer. Lydia prayed that they would be ready.

By the end of the auction, Lydia had furnished every guest room, the servant's quarters, the public drawing rooms, and they had even acquired all of the dining furniture that was required, which Lydia had her doubts that they would accomplish. She had not taken into account the duchess and the duke's mistress's entertaining habits. These women hosted hundreds of people at a time. Sometimes almost nightly. The dining chair upholstery all had the crest of the duchy embroidered in them, and so they all must be recovered, but that was the last of Lydia's concerns. Lydia had even bought several dozen extra sets of furniture to be stored in the attics, so that pieces could be moved around or replaced as needed.

*****

People of all ranks also wished to know more about this well-connected young woman taking London by storm, and flouting the rules of gentility by associating herself with trade without any concern whatsoever. Society columns that had, on occasion, given her vague mentions before in connection with Lord and Lady Darcy's activities, began reporting in great detail on her attire, sense of fashion, and rumoured habits and interests. Gently bred ladies all over London began emulating Lydia's mode of dress, and preferred colours; gentlemen threw themselves upon Uncle Gardiner's door daily, but Lydia accepted no callers. When she had completed her tasks, she boarded her carriage, and returned to Sanditon triumphant, with an excessively elegant travelling desk that she had treated herself to at the auction.

The town of Sanditon was filled with celebration over the notice in the papers, and so Lydia was welcomed back as a hero. Mr Tom Parker declared that it was impossible for Sanditon not to thrive now. Caroline had accepted Lord Berkeley while Lydia was gone, and she congratulated her sister by marriage heartily. She had gifts for everyone when she returned with several chests of brand-new sundries that had been sold all together at the auction, and so the ladies and gentlemen all enjoyed new parasols, handkerchiefs, gloves, cravats, hand-painted fans, feathers, lace, ribbons, and all manner of little items they might never have purchased for themselves in such quality.

Now that the question of where the majority of what they needed was coming from had been answered, the work on the hotel went almost smoothly. Weeks passed, and Lydia was overjoyed when Mrs Bertelli returned to her home with her little family two weeks before the festive season. Mr Radcliffe and his mother had escorted Georgiana and Mrs Annesley back to Pemberley some weeks ago, and Lydia was sorely deprived of relations. Lydia took up residence in the dower house immediately, which was closer to the hotel, thanked Mrs Parkers for her hospitality, and settled in to enjoy her mother and little brother's company.

"When you wrote to your sister about how lonely you were for your family, we all quite agreed that it was terribly unfair that you should be all alone here for Christmastide. Kitty assured me that she had family enough in her county, and that she and dear Brandon would be quite well, and so Donato and I returned to join you for the festive season," Fanny informed her daughter as they enjoyed tea in her parlour. "I do so like your new friends, those nice Heywood girls. I quite agree, you must have them visit you when you return to Pemberley."

It was not, it turned out, written in the cards for the Misses Heywood to visit Pemberley. Though it was still winter, and the hotel was not open yet, the town had garnered quite a bit of public attention. Several families and households had read about the town in the papers, spoken to their friends and relatives, and decided that Sanditon sounded like the perfect location, and abruptly descended upon the town, taking townhouses or in some cases, renting small estates slightly farther into the country.

It was at the next assembly that Charlotte caught the eye of the second son of a baron whose father, like the Parker's father, had set him up very well. He had a small fortune left to him, and his brother would never marry, nor would he live in the country. The Honourable Mr Peter Gregory was assured of a place for his family, running the family estate his brother never even visited, busy as he was with his bachelor friends in town. Mr Gregory's mother was intensely weary of her eldest son's pointed disinterest in women, and had been carting her younger son all about the country, any place where young ladies might gather seemed like a good idea to her. Lady Gregory could not care less who her younger son married, so long as he did, and the sooner the better.

Lady Gregory had not any dowry or wealth of any kind when she married Sir Gregory, but she was a sensible, practical minded daughter of a minor gentleman, who could make a little go a long way, and advised her son to find a similar woman. Sensibility and intelligence, she told her son, was far more helpful than money, considering that most women who came with a dowry expected to spend lavishly upon their marriage. Charlotte came to the attention of Mr Gregory when he was sharing a problem with his tenants that he was struggling with, and Charlotte explained to him how her father had managed the same situation, and what her family, in the way of feminine attention from her mother and sisters, had done to help.

Mr Gregory had been hoping to find a kind and caring woman who would assist him in improving life for his tenants, and he was quickly swept away by Charlotte's kindness and joie de vivre, and soon began confiding all of his worries and concerns about his estate. Charlotte was quickly caught up in his enthusiasm. The two spent all of their time in quiet corners animatedly discussing all matters pertaining to land ownership, even animal husbandry. The local gentlemen chuckled at the idea of such subjects making good courtship fodder.

Miss Beatrice was singled out by Mr Shepherd, the friend of the local doctor. Mr Shepherd was considering starting an additional doctor's practise in the neighbourhood, considering that Mr Bailey was already overrun with patients, and the summer had not even arrived. Good, knowledgeable doctors must be available to undo whatever damages were created by the fly by night quack doctors that constantly sprung up all over bathing resorts. Kitty had promised to set Mr Shepherd up similarly to Mr Bailey, and with a flourishing practice all but guaranteed, the young doctor wasted no time in securing Miss Beatrice as his wife. He had no wealthy relation to buy his house for him as Mr Bailey's had, but Kitty was willing to allow him the use of one as long as he was providing services to the town, and as his practice flourished, they would discuss him purchasing it.

Lydia did not observe much of these courtships, spending most of her time at the hotel, but she was happy indeed for her friends, and after sending a note to Aunt Gardiner to procure some items for her, gave each newly affianced girl several bolts of cloth and lace to start her trousseau, in fine fabrics and colours that Lydia knew would suit the ladies very well. By the time Lydia boarded her carriage to attend Georgiana's wedding on the first of May, both Heywood sisters had returned to Willingdon to plan their weddings.

*****

Before Lydia could leave, there had been some gruelling months of hiring and training staff for the hotel. Mr Farinacci was adamant about following a training scheme he had spent months designing. Dozens and dozens of maids and footmen were hired, three under butlers, three housekeepers, as well as countless hall boys and laundresses were employed, and spent an entire month undergoing rigorous training that would make them among the most efficient and professional servants in the kingdom.

Many of the residents of Sanditon had been living and eating at the hotel for free for two weeks, giving the staff the opportunity to shed their nerves, and practise their skills. That was Lydia's idea, and just last week, the hotel had hosted a grand ball in honour of the weddings of Caroline to Lord Berkeley, which would be held soon in Derbyshire, and Miss Brereton to Lord Rutherford, which had taken place yesterday.

Mary and Richard had travelled to Sanditon to attend Lord Rutherford's wedding, and returned to Pemberley with Lydia, who was overjoyed to see them. Lydia learned when they arrived that Lady Catherine was irate because Anne and Richard were making great changes to their properties. Anne had accepted that she did not need a London House of her own, because she truly enjoyed staying with her relations. She also had visited Bath for a time and decided she did not like it very much, that she far preferred Sanditon. To that effect, Anne leased her London townhouse to a good family because Richard and Mary used Darcy House, sold her house in Bath, and leased a grand townhouse in Sanditon from Mr Parker.

Then she sat down with Richard and Mary, and made them admit the fact that Rosings was just not a convenient location for them. They had done everything expected of them, and spent years building and decorating the house, but the rest of the family was in Derbyshire, and they did not seem to enjoy being so far away. Rosings was to be sold, and another estate, every bit as grand, Anne promised, was to be purchased in Derbyshire and placed into Richard's name. Richard and Mary would remain at Pemberley until the right estate was found. Lady Catherine had not agreed with any of Anne's decisions for some time, and so her bluster did not concern Anne.

Lydia was in high spirits indeed to be returning to Pemberley and her family. She had been gone for almost eight months, and though she had resided with her mother for more than half of that, she still felt different. Being away so long, making every decision at the hotel on her own, had given Lydia a new maturity and confidence. When she stepped down from the carriage, Elizabeth pulled her into a warm hug, then stepped back and held her at arm's length. "Mama was right in her letters, you are different. You've grown in all the ways that matter, Lyddie. You're so tall, and lovely, and self-possessed. You are certainly a girl no longer."

"How does it feel to return a conquering hero?" Darcy asked as he greeted her.

"I have not conquered yet, I am afraid. A few patient and kind residents of Sanditon will be nothing to the expectations of high society. If we make it through the summer, everything will be alright," She addressed the last to her sister.

"It will go splendidly, I assure you," promised Richard. "She has it all well in hand. Our Lydia has thought of everything. Mary and I were astounded. I shall certainly take no townhouse on the terrace when we visit Sanditon. It will be The Grande or nothing for the Fitzwilliams. If nothing else, for the food."

"I do wish we had found an experienced manager before the opening," Lydia confessed to Elizabeth as they entered the drawing room.

"There really is not any such person to be had," Elizabeth replied as they sat, and she began serving tea. "There are few truly grand hotels in the world of the calibre we are aspiring to. Anyone who has run one lives outside the country, and is likely in New York, or Paris, which is where we found Mr Ainsworth. Besides, I do not believe anyone but you could have managed it, Lydia. You have done a better job than anyone else I can think of could have done, and I cannot thank you enough, Sister. I never could have made it all happen while nursing little Rose."

Lydia blushed, and stammered an objection to her sister's praise. She turned and addressed her niece, Diane, who seemed to have grown twelve inches since she had left, then the twins, who truly had grown nearly twelve inches. She had missed them terribly, and she asked after their lessons, and quizzed Diane on her German, which was coming along wonderfully. Lydia had not worked on her translations or studies in months. She wondered if her life would ever be peaceful enough again to study a language.

*****

Lady Rose had slowed down considerably, and slept in the nursery in a chair near Rose's crib for several hours a day. Aunt Dashwood still spent a great deal of time at Pemberley, and was very solicitous of her friend. This summer, she and the Ferrars were planning a trip to Leeds's highland estate to see Marianne, who was expecting again, and at the duke's plea, Elizabeth would send a midwife from the school with them.

Elizabeth and Lydia later had a discussion about Joan Smythe. Lydia felt that Joan had all of the skills and understanding necessary to manage the hotel, she only lacked the background and social standing, but the right presentation was possible if they made the effort. Plans were made, and Lydia felt relieved that they had settled the matter. The Darcys and the Brandons would travel to Sanditon for the summer, to support the opening of the hotel, and the official launch of the town. Kitty planned to throw a private ball at Shannon View, and do her part in contributing to the success of the town. Also, Kitty had committed herself to being in Sanditon each summer for some years, as long as the Children's Theatre did well. Other authors of popular children's books and stories had agreed to have their stories put into production on the stage, and to visit Sanditon as well, and the Children's Theatre was expected to be an enormous success.

*****

Pemberley was alive with activity, more activity than ever before. Caroline and Lord Berkeley had arrived with the dowager Lady Berkeley, and more guests were arriving every day for the decadent house party and double wedding that would take place the last week of May. Finally, Caroline Whitman nee Bingley, was being married in a double wedding with Georgiana Darcy at Pemberley, and the ladies would be sisters, just not in the manner which she had originally intended. Before she left Netherfield with Miss Brereton, Caroline had a talk with Elizabeth regarding what protections a proper marriage settlement might afford her, if she were prudent. Caroline had never intended to marry again after her dreadful experience, but she knew instinctively that she could trust Lord Berkeley, and this time, Caroline would not be stupid, and would allow her family to see to her welfare. Lord Berkeley's dislike for London society and enjoyment of well-meaning country gentry matched her own, and she looked forward to moving to Leicestershire and starting a family.

Ironically, this was the society wedding of Caroline's dreams of old. Though she now avoided London and such society, obviously Georgiana Darcy's wedding would include all of the well-connected and highly placed relatives and friends of her family. All of her mother's dearest friends, which were many, must be invited to see Lady Anne's daughter wed. Carriages arrived each day, filled with lords and ladies of every station, including Lord and Lady W_______, whose annual house party would not begin until July. The men hunted and fished to their hearts' content, while the ladies participated in garden parties, outings to the peaks and the sights, lawn bowling, and archery.

One afternoon was spent with the ladies touring the nursing school, speaking with the nuns, students, and even the few patients staying in the small hospital wing that had been outfitted for those who needed constant care temporarily, but whose dwellings were unsuitable for the arrangement. Several of Elizabeth's friends were already patrons of the convent in London, and were happy to add their patronage to the school. They all vowed to send likely young women from their estates and counties to attend the school when possible. Apothecaries and physicians alike had begun to send their daughters and assistants to be educated from all over the kingdom.

*****

Georgiana had a scheme to discuss with Lydia. Vivian was taking her to Paris for their wedding trip, and she wished for Lydia to accompany her. Indeed, she was willing to postpone her journey until September, if Lydia would consent to go. Georgiana understood that the hotel opening was very important. She and Vivian would retire alone to Lake Cottage for a few months, and if Lydia was willing to leave on the first of September, they would travel to the continent together.

Lydia objected, insisting that her sister should not delay such a delightful journey, and would she not prefer to travel alone with her new husband? Georgiana assured her that she wished to shop and have clothes made in Paris with Lydia very much, and after being alone together for three months, she and Vivian would be glad of some company on their trip. If the group travelled in September, they would miss the heat of the summer as well. Lydia finally agreed to the scheme with excitement, and began to look forward to September with great relish.

Why, Elizabeth wondered one afternoon, was it that when there was a wedding, that it so often overshadowed by deaths, illness, or some unpleasant event? Mr Bennet had died just before Kitty's wedding, then Lady Denham just before Maria's. The family had gone into half-mourning for Angelica Willoughby just before Margaret's nuptials. It had seemed as if they might escape such events for Georgiana, but indeed misfortune knocked upon Pemberley's door, but at least not in the form of death. Elizabeth was grateful that the household did not need to go into mourning for once.

Two weeks before the wedding, Darcy received a message from Mr Lloyd that the son of one of his tenants had injured himself while poaching. Darcy was instantly concerned. His tenants never poached. Poaching was a sign that tenant families were hungry, something that Darcy never allowed on his estate. All of his tenants were well housed, well fed, well clothed, well shod, and were even mildly genteel. At a time when many farmers still could not read, every tenant house at Pemberley had at least one adult resident, if not more, who could read and do basic sums, and it was an agreement between the Darcys and their tenants that all children on the estate would attend school from age six to eleven.

After appraising Elizabeth of the matter, the two immediately called for their horses and visited the family to learn what was the matter, and why young Josiah Paine had felt the need to steal. The steward met them as they entered the yard of the house in question, and apprised them of the information that first the boy, then later his mother, had hidden his injuries out of fear of the consequences. At the steward's knock, the door opened to show Hopestill Paine's worried face. As Mr Paine invited them inside, his wife became hysterical, throwing herself at Darcy's feet, and begging him not to hang her son. Hopestill Paine shouted at his wife that the Darcys were never so cruel, and for her to cease making matters worse.

He led Will and Elizabeth to the thirteen-year-old boy's bedside. He was flushed and incoherent as Mr Lloyd and his sister ministered to him. Mrs Paine was prevailed upon to brew some herbal tea, and the Darcys sat with the boy's parents to discuss the matter.

"Mr Paine, it grieves me to think that your family might be struggling in some way. Is there some hardship that Lady Darcy and I are unaware of?" inquired Darcy.

Hopestill Paine sighed and replied "There is not, your lordship. Shamed, I am by the basket and food you brought with you today. Lady Darcy has always been generous, but the sheer number of items that arrived with you tonight means that you must believe from Josiah's behaviour that we are hungry. I assure you; we are not."

Mrs Paine interrupted him, again begging Darcy to be merciful to her son. "Be quiet, woman!" her husband insisted. "Serve the tea and go back to the boy if you cannae be silent!" He waited for his wife to obey him before he continued. "The problem with the boy is rebellion, your lordship. He's reached the age where he won't respect his Pa any longer, and wants to go his own way. His older brother Moses and I have taken him to task any number of times, but Josiah will not mind. He has fallen in with some boys from the village. They poach and steal, and use the money to buy spirits. Then they cause trouble in Lambton."

"I know of these boys, and I have been working with my steward to find apprenticeships for them," Darcy replied. "Local ones, preferably, so that the families of the boys can look in and ensure they aren't being mistreated, considering the stories you hear of what some children must put up with."

"That would be just the thing!" Mr Paine exclaimed, "He ought to have begun an apprenticeship a year or more ago, but his mother was against it for just such reasons, she mollycoddles the boy and makes him a great deal worse. I could not afford anything local, and what I could afford would be cruel punishment for the boy. He did so well at the estate school, but when he finished there, he became difficult."

"Anything is better than hanging, which is where Josiah is headed if he will not stop stealing," Darcy observed. "I am a magistrate here, but I cannot sit in judgement upon him if he steals from my own land. Another magistrate must take up the task, and they are rarely merciful. There are a number of boys in the group. One other boy besides Josiah is a tenant of Pemberley. There are a few more from neighbouring estates, and several from poor village families who can afford no apprenticeships at all.

"The wife of Pemberley's smith, Mr Pollard, has birthed her third daughter and his apprentice is nearing the end of his indentures," Darcy went on. "Obviously he has no son forthcoming to help him any time soon, and he has a great deal more work in the last few years than he did before. In an effort to ensure he does not overwork his new apprentice, I have persuaded him to take on two. Then there is the bricklayer in Lambton, Mr Eddy. He has been persuaded to take on two boys under similar terms, with the understanding that the lads will be permitted to go home to their families each Sunday and return on Monday mornings."

"I believe it would be the best thing for Josiah to find an apprenticeship, and not one close enough to see his mother every Sunday, if you take my meaning, sir. She spoils him, and it makes him worse." the boy's father said. "We had begun looking for a position as a hall boy, thinking that might be the best we could do for him, but hoping that if he applied himself, he could make footman one day. Considering his behaviour, it is not surprising that Mr Ripley did not think much of taking him on at Pemberley."

Mr Lloyd came out, and apprised the Darcys that the boy had a gash upon his leg, which was infected, and would need careful watching. Mrs Paine was desperate to have her son bled, feeling that the doctor must do something for her boy, but Mr Lloyd insisted that there be no bleeding under any circumstances. Mr Paine promised they would seek no such treatment. The wound had been cleaned, and they must trust in good care and the boy's healthy disposition to overcome the infection.

The Darcy and Paine family waited for four days for the fever to break. When it did, the boy was weak, but not at all humbled. Instead, he was sullen, and not at all grateful to Darcy for not pressing charges, to which his father was outraged, considering the boy had not even been stealing for any proper reason.

"There is never a good reason to steal, but the boy doesn't even have hunger or need as an excuse," Mr Paine stated vehemently. "He ought to be whipped, and it's a right shame he's too ill, or I would take the strap to him myself!"

Within a few weeks, Josiah Paine, rather gaunt and thin, was back up to his old behaviour. His older brother Moses had promised his younger brother that if Josiah stole and embarrassed the family again, he would beat the young man himself. Mrs Paine made excuses, and never properly acknowledged her younger son's shortcomings.

Elizabeth managed to find two engineering apprenticeships through her railway connections, and three more in her shipyards. Josiah Paine was sent to Manchester, and Mr Price was engaged to keep an eye on the boy, to ensure he was well treated by his new master. They could depend upon Price to inform the Darcys if he was getting up to trouble or being overworked. Over the next months, Mr Price assured Elizabeth and Will that Josiah's master gave him enough work to keep him busy and out of trouble – he certainly had little to no free time – but not so much as to exhaust him and make him ill. He was well fed, and had built strength and maturity since he had left home. The education he had received at the estate school made it possible for Josiah to take the apprenticeship to the engineer, and he was learning to speak and behave like a gentleman. He would certainly rise in station when he reached his majority and went out on his own.

Elizabeth and Darcy had encouraged their tenant families to push their children to work hard at the estate school. Usually a boy, typically the eldest in each family, would continue on in his father's tenancy, but the Darcys felt strongly about finding good places for the other children of their tenants. Certainly, some of them could count on finding work on the estate and at the house, but many who excelled in school and showed the aptitude for more learning were often found apprenticeships with apothecaries, architects, journeymen of all kinds, and even one bright young man to an attorney.

The girls were not all forced into housewifery apprenticeships, either. Many were found places with dressmakers and milliners. Places as students at the nursing and midwifery school were highly coveted, and Elizabeth ensured the estate sponsored a girl or two there each year. Elizabeth also found quite a few girls places as letter carriers. It was a boon for Derbyshire, for the young people might eventually return to the county, educated as tradesmen and women, and prepared to contribute to society, improving the future of the county. Elizabeth had set up the estate school with a handsome endowment that would ensure all the expenses of the school and teacher, and also another endowment to provide scholarships for children of all tenant families for apprenticeships.