A stern man entered the room, with an equally fierce nurse trailing behind him. He looked down his nose at Hannah before he turned and addressed Darcy. “That’s enough now, madam. You needn’t be concerned with household affairs any longer. You need your rest.”
He turned to Hannah. “Going forward, you’ll report to my wife, Millicent –the new Head Mistress of this household.”
Hannah’s eyes darted to Darcy, certain this was the last time she would see her dear friend and benefactor. With her lips pressed tightly together, she nodded goodbye.
Confident her secrets would be kept safe, Darcy’s eyes twinkled. “Goodbye, Mrs. Colson. Be well and give my best wishes to your daughter.” Then she turned to the man and protested, “Arnold, you remind me so much of your father, Reginald when you issue commands that way…”
Hannah picked up the hatbox and turned to leave the room, but Arnold glimpsed her in the corner of his steel grey eyes. “Stop there woman… what do you think you’re doing?”
Hannah froze, terrified.
Darcy intervened. “Leave her be, Arnold. She’s done nothing wrong. I gave her an old hat that she admired. Obviously, I won’t be needing it anymore. It’s a small gift to thank her for her years of dedicated service to me.”
Arnold gave a curt, respectful nod in Darcy’s direction, but still stalked over to Hannah. “Allow me?”
He took the box from her and untied the ribbon. He lifted the hat from the box and turned it over in his hands, checking the lining to make sure Hannah wasn’t stealing anything from his stepmother’s room. He then felt around inside the empty box. When he turned it upside down, the lid of the secret compartment clattered to the floor. Arnold’s look of triumph quickly turned to curiosity when nothing fell out of the compartment.
Darcy lied, “That hat box was made to hold a hat and store gloves in a compartment underneath, but the gloves were lost long ago.” She shifted her gaze to Hannah. “I do apologize for my stepson, Mrs. Colson. He tends to be suspicious of everyone.”
Darcy directed her next comments at the nurse. “Help Mrs. Colson put her gift back together and see her to the door.”
After first glancing to Arnold for approval, the nurse did as she was asked. When Hannah left the room, the nurse and Arnold followed after her, still concerned she might try to slip some valuables into the big box on her way out.
Once they were alone, Darcy spoke to Honor. “That’s the last time I will see my beloved Hannah. But I will rest comfortably, knowing my darling Hope is attending a university for young women in Connecticut, recommended by my dear friend, Margaret Plant.”
Her voice wavered as her life’s light began to fade. “Hope will have opportunities I never dreamed possible…”
The swirling fog returned, carrying Honor away from Darcy’s last memory.
When the swirls of mist cleared, Honor was back at her parlor table with Margaret and Darcy. It was as though she never left, except Darcy was much more translucent than before.
Honor could tell sharing her last memories had taken its toll on her great-great grandmother. She didn’t dare waste a moment. “Grandmother…” she cooed.
Darcy looked at her with sad, tired eyes.
“Would you like to hear about your family…your descendants, I mean….yours and Great-Great Grandfather Rory’s?”
Despite her weakened condition, Darcy smiled and nodded. She paid rapt attention as Honor told her about the family, including its tradition of naming all the girls after positive qualities and virtues, which Darcy started by naming her baby Hope.
Darcy clapped her hands together with glee.
Honor smiled and continued, “Your love affair has produced close to one hundred descendants to date, including many successful business men and women, doctors, teachers, and other noble professions. My cousin, Bliss, is poised to become a professional golfer, just like Great-Great Grandfather.” Honor fingered her necklace. “And all of us women still wear your pearls.”
Though exhausted, Darcy beamed in amazement, her eyes filled with tears.
Honor continued. “My three sisters, Charity, Patience and Chastity, are coming to visit at the end of the week. I know it isn’t mine to tell, but please, may I share your story with them?”
Darcy considered the request, then nodded her consent.
“Thank you, Grandmother. I’ll make sure they understand the sacrifices you made so that our lives could be better than your own.”
Darcy smiled and then turned to Margaret. “Dear, dear friend. You know I haven’t stayed in this world for the same reasons as you. Though I glean no joy from this existence, I feared my lighted path would end at the gates of hell because of my sinful behavior.”
She glanced at Honor before continuing. “But now I know it was my destiny to meet Rory and for everything to unfold exactly as it did. A magnificent lineage resulted from our union, so I am no longer afraid to face what waits for me beyond this world. It is time for me to go and find Rory and Hannah, and share with them the joy of our legacy.”
Margaret swallowed a lump in her throat. “Goodbye, my friend. Perhaps we’ll meet again one day.”
Darcy nodded. Without another word, she smiled at Honor and then faded from sight.
Honor wasn’t sure what she had just witnessed. Confused, she searched Margaret’s face for an explanation.
Margaret poured a cup of tea. “Your connection to Darcy taught you the truth about your heritage and at the same time brought Darcy the peace she needed to move along on her eternal journey. Nothing more was to be gained by her remaining in this time and space.”
She paused and dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. “You must remember everything you witnessed and never forget that you come from a long line of intelligent women who were able to overcome unimaginable obstacles in order to lead a life beyond what society dictated. Their essence abounds in the blood that flows through your veins, demanding that you too, achieve the extraordinary.”
Tearfully, Honor stammered, “I won’t ever see my grandmother’s spirit again?”
Margaret spoke tenderly, as if comforting a child. “You won’t share her memories the same way you experienced them in these past weeks, but you will always keep her in your heart. And who knows what lies ahead after this life is finished? Never be concerned about temporary absences from those you love, darlin’. This life of yours will pass in the blink of an eye. Live it without regrets and don’t waste a single moment of it pining about things beyond your control.”
“It’s just that I have so many questions about her life after she returned to New York.”
“Ah, well, perhaps I can answer some of your questions.” Margaret took a sip of tea and smiled. “When Darcy first returned home from London, Reginald’s son, Arnold, and his family were still visiting. His shrew of a wife waxed-on about the difficulty of obtaining quality domestics in Connecticut, so Darcy generously insisted they take Ella home with them. She told me she relished the notion of Ella cleaning up after their monstrous children and listening to Millicent’s whining for the rest of her days.”
Margaret and Honor giggled at Darcy’s final triumph over the wicked housekeeper.
“Darcy ran her household with the precision of a Swiss time piece from that point forward. She became her husband’s pride and joy and was known as a superb hostess, keeping company with prestigious politicians, business magnates and even royalty.” Margaret smiled at the memory of her friend. “In fact, she was held in such high esteem by New York society that her stepsons didn’t dare treat her poorly following Reginald’s death.”
“And Reginald never learned her secrets or realized she manipulated him to build her personal wealth?”
“No. He remained blissfully ignorant and happy with their marital arrangement. I’ll show you.”
The fog swirled around, carrying Honor back through time. When the mist began to clear, she was standing in the foyer of the house where she had first seen Darcy as a child bride being chastised by her husband, Reginald.
While Honor fought to rid herself of the nausea that always accompanied trips into a spirit’s memory, she noticed the atmosphere in the house was quite different than it had been during her previous visits. The chandeliers were lit, casting a bright and cheerful glow around the room. A band played in the large ballroom down the hallway, where many people were gathered. Honor was standing next to Margaret and Henry Plant, who had apparently just arrived at the festivities and were being greeted by their hosts, Darcy and Reginald Loughman.
Both couples were lavishly dressed. Henry beamed at Darcy, who looked truly radiant in a royal blue gown with a corseted middle and low-cut neckline. “My dear, you are more beautiful every time I see you.”
Darcy smiled and laid her hand against her throat, which was adorned by a stunning, triple-strand pearl necklace. She batted her eyes and leaned toward Henry, exposing even more of her voluptuous breasts. “Thank you for the compliment, sir, but I’m sure the beauty you noticed is this magnificent necklace that my dear Reginald surprised me with just this afternoon.”
Both men stared hungrily at her breasts as they pretended to admire the necklace.
Margaret winked at Darcy, amused. “My dear cousin…” she said, “your business must be flourishing for you to present such a luxurious gift to your wife.”
Reginald’s chest puffed with pride, but he feigned modesty. “I can’t complain…no, can’t complain at all.”
Henry sniffed. “Yes. The market is quite bullish as of late.”
To fuel their sense of competition, Darcy returned Margaret’s compliment. “Why, Madam Margaret, your gown is exquisite!”
Margaret replied, “How kind of you to notice. When you attend our holiday gala next month, perhaps I will have something new to show you, since that gathering follows our wedding anniversary.”
Henry nodded at his wife’s subtle reminder.
Honor was amused at the way the woman used their husbands’ competitive egos to their own benefit and wondered what Henry could buy Margaret that would out-shine Reginald’s gift of pearls.
Pearls!
Honor spun around and stared at Darcy’s necklace. She was certain that, four generations later, she was wearing five pearls from that very same necklace.