They admired small alabaster urns carved with classical figures, delicate Sevres porcelain vases, tiny bronze statuettes representing Greek muses and Roman gods, a pair of Wedgwood jasper urns in pale blue and white, Chinese porcelain figures, crystal scent bottles with silver stoppers, several small clocks, delicate Dresden shepherdesses, and even a collection of polished shells, minerals, and cameos.
“Yet as long as our mother lived, this was never a static collection, for above all else she loved making people happy and delighting them with gifts. I believe she genuinely loved her miniatures, but in time many were given to relatives and friends, while at the same time everyone wished to contribute to her collection.”
“That is unusual,” observed Mrs Cooper.
“Lady Anne was an unusual lady, full of beauty, charm, and generosity,” remarked Lady Fletcher, who had known her well, being the daughter of one of Lady Anne’s closest friends.
“Which do you like best?” murmured Darcy, observing Elizabeth’s interest; and she, serious now, looked again before pointing towards the clocks.
“I have a weakness for clocks, though I like all the objects, the collection as a whole. How did she begin collecting them?”
“It is rather an amusing story,” he replied.
Georgiana looked towards him in surprise, because she herself did not know it.
“Some of these objects were brought back through the Grand Tour tradition of the Darcy family. Not merely from my father’s travels, but from those of all the men of the family who undertook such journeys. Most were scattered rather carelessly throughout the rooms or the library, until my mother gatheredthem together. Once she saw them assembled, the idea of a collection occurred to her.”
“Did you make the Grand Tour?” asked Elizabeth.
“No.” Suddenly, sadness seemed to surround him. “My mother died and time for such adventures passed.”
Elizabeth felt his pain so close to her own. They looked deeply at one another, for words were unnecessary.
“Thank you,” said Darcy.
“For what?” she wished to know.
“For liking my sister and for being touched by my mother’s presence lingering still within this house, regardless of how disagreeable I might be to you.”
“You are not disagreeable to me,” she answered rather softly.
“I am no longer so, perhaps.”
“Yes. What occurred at Longbourn erased the past; I told the colonel the same thing. It made me understand the futility of anger and resentment.”
“For that I thank you. For allowing me to present my family to you as we truly are. Beside them, I hope I too may be seen differently.”
“May I ask the same of you? Would you be willing to do it?”
“Put me to the test,” he replied as they entered the drawing room together.
Chapter 21
“I want news,” said the colonel, as together they watched the carriages departing from before the house, among them that of Mrs Cooper and Elizabeth.
In the bustle of departure, little had been said; yet throughout the visit, both Darcy and Mrs Cooper had extended invitations. He felt certain they would meet again.
“News?” asked Darcy. “It was unexpectedly…pleasant.”
“Pleasant?” cried the colonel in his rather abrupt manner. “That is all you can say after seeing Miss Elizabeth again and, at last, having the opportunity to observe what her family truly are.”
“Mrs Cooper is family only by alliance.”
“It is astonishing how readily you discover arguments whenever something displeases you.”
“What should displease me in Mrs Cooper?” asked Darcy with amusement, as they made their way towards the stables, determined upon a ride.
“You are difficult to reason with. Your principal struggle with yourself concerned her family.”