Mr. Darcy's Daughter by Rebecca Ann Collins Page A

mention of this matter to their guest.
    "You
must not embarrass him by questioning him about his parentage,"
    he
warned.
    "But
how will we ever find out?" cried Laura Ann. Her grandmother smiled.
"Leave it to me, my dears, I am sure we can find a way. But your Papa is
quite right. It would be very unseemly to question Mr. Carr about his
grandfather--after all, we have no idea what may have happened after the family
left the Fitzwilliams' estate."
    "Oh
yes, we do," said young Laura Ann again. "My brother said Mr. Carr's
family were forced to leave Ireland and go to America, where they worked
exceedingly hard and made lots of money."
    "Well
then, it looks as if all's well that ends well, but I still do not think you
should ask questions about his parents; that would be very rude and
insensitive,"
    said
Elizabeth, and the girls promised not to bring the matter up, unless Mr. Carr
spoke of it himself.
    By
this time, Mr. Darcy, tiring of the conversation, urged them to leave the
gallery, which was rather cold, and Elizabeth invited them to stay to lunch.
    Everyone
knew what a feast Sunday lunch was at Pemberley and no one was averse to
accepting her invitation.
    During
the meal and afterwards, the talk was mainly of Mr. Carr and his possible
purchase of the Rushmore Farm and Stud. Elizabeth was curious to learn more
about the gentleman and questioned Richard and Cassy closely about their son's
friend. But Mr. Darcy seemed quite sanguine about his move into the
neighbourhood.
    "I
will admit, Richard, I have been very concerned, ever since we learned of Will
Camden's intention to sell up. Over the last few years we have seen several
places taken over by men from Manchester and Birmingham, with no real interest
in the area and no understanding of the people here. Many of these properties
have been subdivided and sold to profiteering blackguards who have done nothing
at all for the community. Men and women who have lived and worked these lands
for generations are being displaced by developers and rogues."
    He
sounded furious and Richard hastened to reassure his father-in-law that Mr.
Carr had given both Camden and himself an assurance that he had no intention of
ever subdividing the land.
    "He
assures me that he wants only to enjoy what the county has to offer.
    He
is not investing in a commercial venture," said Richard.
    Lizzie,
who had been listening to her grandfather, spoke up softly at this point,
"I think Papa is right. Mr. Carr says he would like very much to settle
here, because he feels at home in these parts. His grandmother was born here,
he said."
    "Really?"
said Elizabeth, interested again, "Did he say where?"
    "Rowsley,
I think," said Lizzie, trying to recall what she had heard him say, as
they sat eating toasted muffins in front of the fire.
    Cassy
was very alert again. "That must be the girl who married Robert Carr, the
stable boy. Oh, I wish I knew more of his story."
    "Well,
you are all going to have to be very patient and very polite and say
nothing--until we can ask Mr. Carr to Pemberley and let him see the
portrait," said her mother, with a conspiratorial smile that had even Mr.
Darcy laughing at her.
    "I
think you can depend upon your mother, Cassy," he said, as they rose to
leave the table. "She will not rest until the mystery of the stable boy
has been fully resolved."
    *
    Preparations
for the cricket match and the picnic seemed to take up most of everyone's time
during the next few days. It was also the day of the Kympton Parish Church Fair
and that kept Cassandra and her sister-in-law, Emily Courtney, who was married
to the Rector, very busy indeed.
    The
weather, which could occasionally turn nasty at this time of year, seemed to be
perfect, and much effort was being put into organising everything so it would
all be just right.
    Lizzie
and Laura had decided that Mr. Carr, since he could not play, would be the
scorer. He, therefore, had to be initiated into all the complexities of scoring
a game of cricket, of