“Then what do you suggest I do?” Darcy asked, not really expecting an answer.

“I suggest you find yourself a wife for the duration of the voyage.” Durnham laughed and Darcy grimaced.

Darcy had always respected his wise, faithful valet. But Durnham had a tendency to occasionally tease him, and it had taken Darcy years to accept it as part of his personality. Darcy had never nurtured the ability to tease others himself, and sometimes wished he could. Whenever he did make an attempt, it usually was not taken in the way he intended. He had learned over the years to read his valet’s face to determine whether or not what he was saying was in jest.

Durnham continued. “Oh, and sea sickness, sir. Until you get your sea legs, it is likely that the movement of the ship will cause you to be sick. Eat just enough during your first few days to keep food in your stomach, but do not overdo it. If you begin to feel sick, breathe slowly and deeply. Keep out in the fresh air as much as you can. It will help.”

“Thank you, Durnham. I shall heed your advice. Er… the sea sickness part, not the wife part.”

“Yes, sir.” Durnham tried to hide a small smirk as he thought of all the years he had been with this man and how, slowly but surely, Darcy had come to accept his friendly humour. Durnham strongly felt that his master still took himself too seriously, and it was only in very rare and exceptional moments that he let his guard down and really enjoyed life. It was truly his only fault of character.

With his task completed, Durnham asked if there was anything else he could do before he disembarked.

“No, but I thank you for everything. Let me accompany you back aloft. I want to be up on deck when the ship pulls away from the dock and the sails are unfurled.” He was anxious to watch the crew as they climbed the rigging and manoeuvred the sails when she set out.

As they walked up to the top deck, Darcy resorted to the stern, taciturn mannerism he had come to perfect over the years. He avoided eye contact with the multitude of people about him, hoping to disappear in their midst. They had not yet called for non-passengers to depart the ship, so the deck was replete with tearful farewell hugs and kisses as loved ones prepared to depart.

Durnham solemnly turned to his master, whom he had been with for five years, having moved into that role when Darcy’s father died. He had kept the position of head valet, merely changing masters. He had not been out of his presence save a few days here and there for all those years.

“Sir, I must now take my leave. I pray you have an excellent crossing now, and again when you return with Miss Darcy. I hope that your sister is well and I look forward to your return.”

“Thank you, Durnham. I hope all goes well with your father. I shall see you, hopefully, inside three months.”

The two men shook hands, and Darcy sadly watched him leave. He was an exceptional valet, and even though Darcy was capable of taking care of himself, he would miss the respectful friendship they shared. Durnham was without equal in his ability to know when Darcy needed solitude or companionship, silence or a tactfully placed word, and when he would tolerate teasing and when best to refrain from banter of any sort.

Darcy found a place to stand out of the way of passengers. He was anxious for the voyage to begin and passed the time by watching the other passengers as, one by one, family members or loved ones departed the ship. He tried to conjecture why those passengers sailing on his ship were going to America. It touched him to think that families were possibly being separated for the rest of their lives. It had been hard enough to know that Georgiana was such a distance from him for only a few months. He could not imagine her going off indefinitely. But he had heard of many doing that very thing.

He stood with his back to the side of the ship, leaning against it, and his elbows bent back, resting upon the rails. He was grateful that at this point, everyone was more concerned with their goodbyes than with noticing him. He could watch without drawing any unwanted attention to himself.

He noticed a young, dark-haired woman he estimated to be about twenty, on the arm of an older gentleman. He initially thought she looked familiar, but given the clothes she was wearing, he judged she most likely did not frequent the same social circles as he. As he watched them, he was surprised when the elder gentleman gave her a fervent hug and, with tears in his eyes, left the ship.

Could she be travelling unescorted? He found that impossible to comprehend and would never have allowed Georgiana to do such a thing. He wondered what her circumstances could be that would have induced her to do this. Perhaps she had secured a position as a governess in America. Perhaps she was a mail-order bride. No, he absently shook his head. He did not like that idea.

He looked over at an older couple. He pondered whether they might be travelling to see a son or a daughter who had set off for the new world to find a better life. Perhaps they had finally sent for the parents, having secured work that raised them to a higher position than they had been in England.

There was the young man who, Darcy conjectured, was off to America solely for the adventure. Perhaps he loved to travel and for him, this was just another exciting place to visit.

He saw many ladies, fashionable and not so fashionable, and began to feel their eyes and the eyes of their plotting mothers, and sometimes even their fathers, upon him as they noticed the absence of any lady on his arm. He knew his patience would be tried and his composure stretched to the limit as he would have few places on this ship to seek the solitude he needed and desired, except for his room. And that was too small for him to remain secluded in for the length of the trip!

It was announced that those not sailing had to depart the ship. Loved ones bid their final farewells, and the passengers lined the railing for one final glimpse. He looked over at the dark-haired young lady who was now waving at the man he supposed to be her father. The gangway was removed and shortly after, a few sails were unfurled. Darcy looked up at the beautiful white sheets that billowed like clouds against the deep blue sky. Only a few were set free, to give the ship just enough wind to pull slowly away from the dock.

He brought his eyes down and noticed that the young lady, whom he had seen earlier, was watching the sails, as well, and she was smiling with apparent joy. He kept his eyes on her as she turned back to her father on the shore. The ship slowly began to sail away from the dock, and she continued waving. As people on the shore grew smaller to the eye, many left the railing. But this lady remained as long as she could see the dock where the gentleman stood. He wondered whether she was ever going to see her family again.

He walked with long strides toward the front of the ship. He knew he would enjoy being out on the deck, and hoped that at least two things would be in his favour on this crossing. The first was that the weather would be accommodating so that he could come up often and take undisturbed walks. He knew in bad weather he would need to remain below. The other favourable condition would be that he would not be assaulted by single ladies or their matchmaking mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, or friends, looking at him as some sort of prize in the pursuit of a husband. He was in no mood to contend with such intrusions as his thoughts were singularly focused on reuniting with Georgiana and returning her to England.

Darcy noticed a few people had begun greeting one another and were making new acquaintances. Most everyone extended amiable courtesies toward one another, impervious to one another’s standing in society.

As the ship slowly made its way toward the open seas of the English Channel, Darcy continued to quietly conjecture about his fellow passengers instead of converse with them, and stood off by himself, content in his preference for solitude.

At length he was grateful to find his good friend, the captain, up on deck, and he walked over to him. “Good day, Captain Wendell.”

“Darcy! How do you find your room?”

“Excellent, sir.”

“Good. It is one of our finest; only the best for the owner of the ship.”

“Yes, well, I would prefer that you not make that fact known to anyone. I would not want people coming to me with their problems and concerns.”

The captain laughed. “And neither would I want them to do that. Take no offence, Darcy, but I fear your knowledge of sailing and this ship would be most inadequate to help them with their concerns.”

“That is true.” Darcy looked at him wryly. “May I inquire something of you, Wendell?”

“Certainly!”

“If we are now on our way, and as you are the captain, who is sailing the ship?”

“Ah, how often I am asked that question! I do have others perfectly capable of taking the helm. Be not dismayed, Darcy, you are in good hands.”

“I did not doubt that, sir.”

“Good.”

Darcy noticed the young lady he observed earlier coming toward them and pass by them. She nodded to the captain, glanced in Darcy’s direction, and continued on.

“Captain, another question, if you do not mind.”

“Yes?”

“Do women often make this voyage unescorted?”

“Yes, frequently. On each voyage I normally have a handful. They do it for various reasons, usually financial. But do not fear, Darcy, I issue them some commonsense guidelines and try to ensure that there is no impropriety aboard this vessel. You can be confident of that.”