Chuckling, he raised a hand and pulled on the reins of his horse to give instructions to the men riding up behind him when from the corner of his eye, a splash of color caught his attention. He immediately dismounted and ran toward it: a tartan wool scarf at the top of an embankment.
* * *
It wasseven o’clock when the sun was reflecting off the snow outside the lodge, blinding him before he once again retreated to his book.I know that Miss Elizabeth is an early riser. She must be avoiding me.Darcy turned at what he thought was a noise, but there was nothing in the hallway.I will give her another quarter of an hour, then must wake her if we are to return to Pemberley in good time. There will be questions, but I will silence anyone who comes too close to the truth.
He stood and paced the length of the room, attempting to formulate what he would say when he knocked on her door.Will she be loath to see me? She is to marry Hamilton. Although I know her affections for him were not completely engaged at Ashby Park, maybe…
At length, he checked his watch again before realizing the time had come. Striding down the hall, he took a fortifying breath before gently knocking on the door.
“Miss Elizabeth? Miss Elizabeth, I apologize to bother you, but it is time for us to prepare to leave. We must hasten to Pemberley while the weather remains friendly as another storm could move in at any moment.”
He waited patiently, not hearing a sound from the other side of the door. “Miss Bennet? Miss Bennet, are you awake?” He knocked again, with a bit more energy before he decided to enter the room. “Miss Bennet, are you well?”
He turned the handle and entered the all too familiar master’s chambers. He looked straight at the fireplace, unable to look at the bed on his right. “Miss Bennet,” he said louder. “I apologize for entering your room but…”
In less than five minutes, his great coat had been thrown on, he had saddled Ulysses and was galloping down the pathway following a pair of footprints toward his home.
* * *
Richard had sentone of the stable boys ahead to have Mrs. Reynolds send for the doctor from Lambton and prepare a hot bath. The other youth rode behind him, prepared to do anything the good colonel asked.
Miss Elizabeth was still unconscious, a small gash on her head, but she was breathing.She is breathing!She was curled against him under his great coat, her body still limp. It took all his strength to hold her and the reins of his horse while riding to Pemberley, but he would not fail!
As he came around the side of the house, he saw Mrs. Reynolds and the butler open the door. He stopped short in front of them and opened his coat, sliding Miss Elizabeth down into the waiting hands of two footmen. He immediately dismounted, scooped her from their arms, and carried her rapidly up the stairs to her chambers, ignoring cries from Georgiana, Anne, and Miss Katherine—and the screeches from his aunt.
* * *
It waseleven o’clock when Darcy finally saw Pemberley in the distance. He had lost her tracks about an hour before, but there were obvious hoof prints leading to the house, and Ulysses pace increased at his master’s insistence. He rode directly up to the door, slid from his mount, and threw the reins at a waiting footman before running up the stairs.
“Darcy, welcome back. Please come into your study so we can have a word.”
“Not now, Richard,” Darcy snapped, walking toward the stairs.
“She is here,” he whispered, making Darcy stop in his tracks.
His body tensed at the news.
Richard held his hand out to the side and he followed his cousin, closing the door behind them.
Darcy walked over to the couch and dropped down, his body almost collapsing from fatigue and concern. He leaned forward, resting his head in his hands before once again running them through his hair in nervous agitation. “When did she arrive?”
“Cousin, I think you need to tell me what happened.”
“Richard, I think you need to tell me when she arrived.” Richard did not miss the ferocity in Darcy’s voice and complied.
“We found her about two hours ago at the bottom of an embankment. She hit her head and was unconscious but was still breathing. Her lips were almost blue, Darce. She had only a light coat and gloves, and the doctor said she likely survived at all because of this wool scarf,” he said holding up the tartan, “and sheer luck.”
Darcy stood and began pacing, his stoic gaze unreadable.I almost killed her. She who I love more than my own life... My actions scared her to the point of running out into the night and attempting to walk several miles after a snow storm!
“Darcy? Darcy? Did you hear what I said? How did you know she was missing? We were unable to send word to Donnelley Hall yesterday. Did you cross paths with a tenant this morning who may have heard from one of the estate hands yesterday?”
He waved away Richard’s question. “It is of little consequence how I made the discovery. Is she awake yet?”
“Yes. Mrs. Reynolds informed me a few minutes before your arrival that Miss Bennet opened her eyes.”
“Thank heavens!” A great breath was expelled from his lungs and he kept his eyes averted from his cousin.
“Darcy, do tell me how you learned of Miss Bennet. Also, where did you stay last night? You appear worse for the wear. Lord Donnelley’s man would have never allowed you to leave looking like this. You have not even been shaved!”
