As they walked out of doors toward the gardens, crossing the lawn that reached to the lake, Elizabeth discovered that Mr. Darcy had a motive for wishing her to accompany him.

“I would like to know your views on my latest ideas for the improvement of the Pemberley estates. Knightley has recently published a treatise on improvements to habitations for the poor. Taking John Harford’s example, Knightley commissioned several single-storey cottages for benefit of the elderly and infirm, as well as some very tidy dwellings for the poor within the village surrounding the green at his Donwell Abbey estate. He has rejoined with some additional amendments for improvements to Harford’s scheme, including a plan for some gardens within the properties.” Such advancement for the general good had made an immediate impression upon Mr. Darcy, who set about writing to Mr. Knightley, enquiring on some particulars of construction; the only unresolved issue was placement of the buildings, and the details of the interiors, the subject that was to occupy the two on their walk.

Both gentlemen held Kent’s Hints in high esteem, and Knightley had used Kent’s agricultural plans and costings in the building of his labourers’ cottages. Elizabeth listened to her husband’s plans for improvements, and recalled with pleasure Mrs. Reynolds’ warm praise of Mr. Darcy and the high regard in which his tenantry held him. Elizabeth, with less gratification, also recalled her very first visit to Pemberley and the mortifying self-acknowledgement of that prejudice that had led her unreasonably and uniformly to under-value the man who was become her husband. His every decision concerning the estate was made as much to secure the long-term prosperity and comfort of his tenants as that of his own family at Pemberley; Elizabeth felt that compassion was amongst his most admirable qualities. As they walked onto higher ground, Darcy continued to talk of the success of his new crop varieties, and improving the fertility of the poor Derbyshire soil.

“As you know, the cottagers’ dwellings and the trade-school will necessarily be an enterprise of several years, so I wish to undertake the drawing of plans for their construction immediately. I mean to have a small orchard in the back of the dwelling, which will serve both to provide food, and to shelter the cottage from the worst of the winds and summer heats. I would much value your ideas as to where they might be most advantageously positioned, and what you think of Knightley’s amendments to the interiors. My other investigation may take even longer, as it requires a trip abroad, and I do not know when such a trip might be convenient. I would very much like to obtain cuttings of the true French ‘Paradise’ pear stock, which I believe would grow very well in our heavy Derbyshire soil.”