Free More Letters From Pemberley by Jane Dawkins Page A

she will soon outgrow—how very much I want to believe it! It cannot be too soon.
    About your commissions: For the summer gowns I have purchased plain brown cambric muslin for morning wear; the other, a very pretty periwinkle and white cloud (mine is yellow and white), seven yards for you and seven-and-one-half yards for me (being taller).
    We leave in two days. It is much too late to be in London, especially knowing that the countryside is at its finest this time of year, but it couldn’t be helped. It is far preferable to remaining alone at P., but nevertheless, I long to be home again.
    E.D.

Pemberley
Tuesday, 10 th June, 1817
    My dear Aunt,
    Where shall I begin? Which of all my unimportant nothings shall I tell you first? As I write, my dear Husband fishes for trout. Annie and I have just returned from a walk to find him—she has inherited her Mother’s love of walking, and at the great age of three years and three days, tries very hard to keep up even when her short legs show every sign of collapse (I fear she may also have inherited her Mother’s stubbornness). It would have amused you to see our progress; in climbing a hill, Miss Annie only with difficulty keeps pace with me, yet would not flinch for the world. On level ground she is almost my equal; on the slope down to the stream she scampers ahead. We always stop to look at flowers and listen to birds and watch passing clouds—I think it right to take pains to cultivate the eyes and ears of Children for nature. Moreover, nothing tends more to health than exercise and air, and the more Children are out of the house the better. (If there is any subject on which I feel diffident, it is that my affection for my Children will lead me to take too much care of them. Mr. Darcy has been instructed to tell me if I show any tendency towards the kind of suffocating Mothering practised by Lady Mansfield!)
    Cassie, at eighteen months, shows every sign of becoming a natural, open hearted, affectionate little girl, adored by her elder Sister. I fervently hope that they will become loving friends as they grow up together. To be able to call a Sister one’s best Friend is truly a blessing, a gift I cherish dearly and one I would wish my Daughters to know.
    Haymaking is now over and if the weather continues fair, Barford expects the corn to ripen early this year. Mr. Darcy cautions against hiring extra workers for another six weeks at least; Barford fears that if it is left too late, there will be no extra workers available to help with the harvest. Such, you see, are the burning issues at Pemberley—I cannot imagine dilemmas of this nature arising in Gracechurch Street!
    How envious I am that you are to visit Longbourn—and how sorry that time will not permit you to come further north to Derbyshire! I should so dearly love to see you and my dear Uncle. But I do not despair entirely, for we are to visit Jane at the end of this month and remain there until her lying-in. In my mind’s eye I already see the Cousins playing together, our Husbands spending leisurely days fishing, and Jane and I enjoying lazy, unhurried days of reading, conversation, sewing, and whatever our fancies lead us to. Only your presence could improve upon our scheme, my dear Aunt!
    Yours ever,
E.D.

Pemberley
Saturday, 28 th June, 1817
    My dear Jane,
    To make long sentences upon unpleasant subjects is very odious, and I shall therefore get rid of the one now uppermost in my thoughts as soon as possible—we must delay our departure. There, it is said, much as it disappoints me to have to record it at all.
    Yesterday morning at four o’clock I was awoken by Nurse, alarmed by my darling Cassie screaming in pain. Rushing to the nursery, I found her just as Nurse had described, quite purple in the face with pain and her little body hot with fever. Mr. Darcy ordered Brownley to be sent for immediately. By the time he got here, Cassie had calmed somewhat and the fever appeared to be abating, but she appeared