‘Somewhere in the middle of the country. Not too far
north, and not too far south. Caroline recommended
Derbyshire, but why should I live in Derbyshire? If I
want to visit that part of the country I can stay at Pemberley with you. I have told my agent to look for something in Hertfordshire, or thereabouts. I rely on you to
inspect it with me when he finds me something.’
‘If you go ahead with it, then I will be glad to.’
‘You do not think I will?’
‘I think you will change your mind as soon as you see
a pretty face, whereupon you will decide to stay in London,’ I said with a smile.
‘You paint me very fickle,’ he said with a laugh. ‘I
thought you were my friend!’
‘And so I am.’
‘And yet you think me capable of abandoning my
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M r . D a r c y ’ s D i a r y 5
plan? Upon my honour, I will not be so easily dissuaded,
and nothing will stop me from taking a house in the
country.You will come and visit me?’
‘Of course.’
‘And you must bring Georgiana. How is she? I have
not seen her for months. I must take Caroline and visit
her.’
‘She is not in London at present. I have sent her to
Ramsgate for the summer.’
‘Very wise. I cannot wait to remove from town
myself.’
We parted after dinner. If it was still the Season, I
would not hold out much hope of him fixing on a
place, whatever he protests. But as London is empty of
female company, then I think he may hold true to his
course – unless a young lady in the north should
happen to catch his fancy, whereupon he will stay at
home until Christmas!
Friday 12th July
I had a letter from Georgiana this morning. It is lively
and affectionate, and I am pleased I thought of sending
her to the seaside. She has arrived safely in Ramsgate and
writes of her pleasure at the house:
It is small compared to my London establish-
ment, but it is very comfortable and it has a
pretty view of the sea. Mrs Younge and I are
going down to the beach this afternoon as I am
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A M A N D A G R A N G E
eager to make a sketch of the coast. I will send
it to you when it is finished.
Your affectionate sister, Georgiana.
I folded her letter away and I was about to put it in
my desk with the others when I happened to notice the
handwriting on one of her earlier letters. I took it out so
that I could compare the two. She has made a great deal
of progress, both in her handwriting and in the style of
her letters, over the last few years. However, I confess that
I find her earlier letters charming, though the handwriting is poor and the spelling atrocious.
As I reread her earlier letter, I remembered how worried I had been that she would not be happy at the seminary, but I need not have been concerned. She liked her
teachers, and made a number of good friends there. I will
have to suggest that she invite one of them to stay with
her in London over the autumn. If I am to help Bingley
find his estate, then a friend will provide some company
for Georgiana whilst I am away.
Tuesday 16th July
I rode in the park with Colonel Fitzwilliam this morning. He told me that he had been to Rosings and seen
Lady Catherine, and that she had appointed a new
rector. For a moment I feared it might be George
Wickham, knowing that if he had heard of a wealthy
living at Rosings he might have tried to ingratiate
himself with my aunt.
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M r . D a r c y ’ s D i a r y 7
‘What is the rector’s name?’ I asked.
‘Collins.’
I breathed again.
‘A heavy young man with the most extraordinary
manner,’ went on Colonel Fitzwilliam. ‘A mixture of
servility and conceit. He bobs about praising everything
and anything. He talks endlessly but says nothing. He has
no opinions of his own, except an idea of his own
importance, which is as ludicrous as it is unshakeable.
My aunt likes him well enough, however. He performs
his duties well and he is useful to her for making up a
table at cards.’
‘Is he married?’
‘I believe it will not be long before he takes a wife.’
‘He is betrothed, then?’
‘No, but my aunt finds it tedious at Rosings with so
few people to entertain her, and I believe she will soon
tell him he must marry. A new bride will make a diversion for her, and then she will have someone to…help,’
he said with a wry smile.
‘She likes to be of service,’ I remarked, returning his
look.
‘And she is so fortunately placed that other people
have little choice but to thank her for her advice,’ he
added.
We have both had a great deal of advice from Lady
Catherine. Most of it has been very good, but all the
same I have often been relieved that Rosings is not in
Derbyshire, but that it is far away in Kent.
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‘How is Georgiana?’ he asked, as we left the park and
began to ride back to my house.
‘Very well. I have sent her to Ramsgate for the summer.’
‘Good. It is too hot in town for her. It is too hot for
anyone,’ he said.‘I am going to Brighton next week. It is
a pity I will not be able to see her, but next time I am in
town I will make sure I visit her.Will you be joining her
in Ramsgate?’
‘Not yet. I have too much to do.’
‘But you will be going to Pemberley?’
‘Later in the year, yes.’
‘I envy you Pemberley.’
‘Then you should marry. It would enable you to buy
a place of your own.’
‘If I find a suitable heiress, I might consider it, but at
the moment I am enjoying the bachelor life.’
With this we parted; he to go to his barracks, and I to
return home.
Sunday 28th July
At last my business in town is done, and I am free to visit
Georgiana.
