Cathy, and I hope to be back in Kent before the end of the week. Much as I have enjoyed these days at Pemberley, I do so look forward to returning home and taking up all those matters I left behind at Edgewater.
Having despatched her letter to the post, she went downstairs to meet Darcy Gardiner, who had called to see her as arranged. She found him not only agreeable but enthusiastic about assisting his aunt Emily Courtney and was delighted to discover that he had no qualms at all about taking the money to Emily and urging her to use it for all those bills, which he knew she would have to pay with her quite meagre resources.
"It is very kind of you, Mrs Tate, and I should be honoured to be your intermediary in this matter," he said, delighting Becky with that combination of charm and responsibility for which young Darcy Gardiner was widely known and loved.
"I know my aunt Emily needs help, and yet she will not ask and is reluctant to accept it from my grandfather Mr Darcy, because she feels he and Mrs Darcy have helped her too often. She is quite determined to struggle on alone, yet it is an unequal struggle, and she must have help. I feel sure I can persuade her to accept yours on this occasion.
"She has always spoken well of you and my wife, Kate, and I know that she regards you with great affection. I am confident she will not feel any degree of mortification in accepting your offer."
For Becky, his assurance was a source of great satisfaction.
It was with a much happier heart that she thanked young Darcy Gardiner, his wife, Kate, and her generous host and hostess, as she bid farewell to Pemberley and returned home to Kent.
Chapter Five
Throughout the long journey, as the train carried her away from Derbyshire and back to her new home, Becky's sense of satisfaction in her present situation grew considerably.
Having endured, for however short a period, the indignity of being an unwelcome guest in her son's home, she was determined she would never again be so affronted. The purchase of Edgewater had given her the sense of security that she was sure her late husband had wanted her to have. Why else would he have agreed to transfer the title for the house in London to her and allow her the freedom to sell it if she chose to do so?
She smiled to herself as she recalled the dismay of her son Walter and his wife upon discovering that they would no longer have the convenience of a house in one of the best streets in London, maintained and paid for by someone else.
"But, Mother," Walter had protested, "surely there is no need to sell the place," and when she had quite justifiably asked, "How else would I acquire a home, a place of my own, Walter?" he had replied rather glibly, "You don't need a place of your own, Mother, you could live with us. Papa indicated in his will that if you chose to do so, we should accommodate your wishes. That way, we could all use the house in London."
Becky had laughed then, much to Walter's discomfort.
"I cannot believe that your father ever thought I would adopt that suggestion, which he was kind enough to put in his will. He was probably trying to remind you that the house in Matlock, which I agreed to relinquish to you, had been our home for almost thirty years; perhaps he hoped you would understand that it meant something to me."
"Do you not wish to live there anymore? We could come to a convenient arrangement, Pauline would have no objection I am sure," he had said rather lamely, but Becky had been adamant.
"No, Walter, I do not wish to enter into any such arrangement; you and your wife need have no fears that I will arrive on your doorstep and demand that you accommodate me for the rest of my life! I cannot imagine anything worse, for all of us. No, for several very good reasons, I must have my own place, and to that end, I shall sell the house in London and use the proceeds to acquire one elsewhere."
Becky recalled that Walter had been distraught.
"Pauline will be most upset;
Having despatched her letter to the post, she went downstairs to meet Darcy Gardiner, who had called to see her as arranged. She found him not only agreeable but enthusiastic about assisting his aunt Emily Courtney and was delighted to discover that he had no qualms at all about taking the money to Emily and urging her to use it for all those bills, which he knew she would have to pay with her quite meagre resources.
"It is very kind of you, Mrs Tate, and I should be honoured to be your intermediary in this matter," he said, delighting Becky with that combination of charm and responsibility for which young Darcy Gardiner was widely known and loved.
"I know my aunt Emily needs help, and yet she will not ask and is reluctant to accept it from my grandfather Mr Darcy, because she feels he and Mrs Darcy have helped her too often. She is quite determined to struggle on alone, yet it is an unequal struggle, and she must have help. I feel sure I can persuade her to accept yours on this occasion.
"She has always spoken well of you and my wife, Kate, and I know that she regards you with great affection. I am confident she will not feel any degree of mortification in accepting your offer."
For Becky, his assurance was a source of great satisfaction.
It was with a much happier heart that she thanked young Darcy Gardiner, his wife, Kate, and her generous host and hostess, as she bid farewell to Pemberley and returned home to Kent.
Chapter Five
Throughout the long journey, as the train carried her away from Derbyshire and back to her new home, Becky's sense of satisfaction in her present situation grew considerably.
Having endured, for however short a period, the indignity of being an unwelcome guest in her son's home, she was determined she would never again be so affronted. The purchase of Edgewater had given her the sense of security that she was sure her late husband had wanted her to have. Why else would he have agreed to transfer the title for the house in London to her and allow her the freedom to sell it if she chose to do so?
She smiled to herself as she recalled the dismay of her son Walter and his wife upon discovering that they would no longer have the convenience of a house in one of the best streets in London, maintained and paid for by someone else.
"But, Mother," Walter had protested, "surely there is no need to sell the place," and when she had quite justifiably asked, "How else would I acquire a home, a place of my own, Walter?" he had replied rather glibly, "You don't need a place of your own, Mother, you could live with us. Papa indicated in his will that if you chose to do so, we should accommodate your wishes. That way, we could all use the house in London."
Becky had laughed then, much to Walter's discomfort.
"I cannot believe that your father ever thought I would adopt that suggestion, which he was kind enough to put in his will. He was probably trying to remind you that the house in Matlock, which I agreed to relinquish to you, had been our home for almost thirty years; perhaps he hoped you would understand that it meant something to me."
"Do you not wish to live there anymore? We could come to a convenient arrangement, Pauline would have no objection I am sure," he had said rather lamely, but Becky had been adamant.
"No, Walter, I do not wish to enter into any such arrangement; you and your wife need have no fears that I will arrive on your doorstep and demand that you accommodate me for the rest of my life! I cannot imagine anything worse, for all of us. No, for several very good reasons, I must have my own place, and to that end, I shall sell the house in London and use the proceeds to acquire one elsewhere."
Becky recalled that Walter had been distraught.
"Pauline will be most upset;
Similar Books
