Good gracious, she left me little choice but to assent. I abandoned the newspaper and turned towards her. “Yes, if I see him and the opportunity arises, I shall praise you to the skies.”
“You are a darling!” Cassie rose to her feet, her complexion glowing. “Excuse me, I intend to call upon Dame Hayward. With any luck, I shall see Mr. Darcy then.” She smoothed the skirt of her gown. “Dear me, I must decide what to wear!” She darted from the room.
It seemed every morsel I had ingested had merged to form a leaden weight. Why did the concept of a romance between her and Mr. Darcy unnerve me? It must be due to my firm belief that she belonged with Mr. Stephen Ware.
Monday, 23 September
Springvale
Elizabeth
My pulse raged at a feverish pitch as Lily galloped across a long stretch of even ground, and we flew past the silver birches lining the path. The increasing number of yellow leaves blended with the green ones on the trees in a vivid, varicoloured effect, while the wind acted as an invigorating force against my skin. The thrill of riding at top speed never failed to improve my mood. Birds must experience a similar exhilaration when soaring far above us earth-bound creatures.
At my left, Mr. Darcy restrained his ebony stallion to match our pace, though the steed tried to push ahead a couple of times. I slowed Lily to a walk before we reached the rocky portion of the path, and he ensured that Regal followed suit.
Each successive ride with Mr. Darcy had served to shed a bit more light upon his commendable character, and before we finished our second ride together, I had formed a strong preference for his distinct masculine voice. The time with him had always flown by, ending too soon for my liking.
Today, we spoke of literature. To my surprise, we admired many of the same authors and poets. We had a good-natured argument comparing the strengths and weaknesses of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, then moved on to critique ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
In the past, I had enjoyed many similar discussions with Noah, Uncle Barton, Dame Hayward, and Mr. Rowe, but never with this effect upon me: a puzzling melding of satisfaction and yearning—for what, though, I could have provided no coherent answer.
My physical attraction to him could not fully explain this experience. Last year, I had met Dame Hayward’s visiting cousin, a blond male Adonis; I spoke to him on numerous occasions without experiencing the peculiar variety of verve that accompanied my conversations with Mr. Darcy.
Nevertheless, I did not lose sight of the fact that Lily would leave with him when he quit the area. At least now that I had a better grasp of his nature, I could take solace in the knowledge that she would be in the hands of a responsible man, a true horseman.
“Miss Bennet, pray wait a moment.” He brought Regal to a halt.
“Very well.” I stopped Lily.
Mr. Darcy dismounted and went a couple of yards ahead on the path. He crouched before what appeared to be a small, brownish creature.
“What is it?”
He sent me a quick glance. “A newt. I did not notice him when we passed earlier. The little beast seems to be distressed.” With gentle, painstaking care, he lifted the creature and carried it to me. “Would you like to see it?”
“Yes.” I leaned closer for a better look at the chocolate-coloured newt. Mr. Darcy held the creature at an angle and revealed its underside, orange and mottled with black spots.Oh dear. The poor thing appeared to be parched—not yet withered, but lifeless. I ought to say as much, should I not? I gulped. “It is a shame, but the newt appears to be…dead.”
“That is possible, but I hope not.” Mr. Darcy pointed to a trio of poplars. “I recall having seen a pond beyond those trees.”
“Indeed, there is a large horse pond. The newt could have come from there. Shall we proceed in that direction?”
“By all means.” He led the way with Regal walking beside him, and I followed on Lily. At the verge of the pond, he set the distressed amphibian down. Using a leaf, he scooped water from the pond and poured it over the newt. After repeating the process several times, he stood and smiled at me. “I detected movement in one of the hind legs, so I think the little beast will recover.”
“You saved him.” I grinned at Mr. Darcy. “Well done!”
His ears turned a shade darker. “I am pleased to have found the newt in time to be of use.”
“Do you make a habit of rescuing wild beasts?”
“I do not seek them out. However, my late father taught me to respect all creatures, wild or tame, and I should never knowingly allow one to suffer.”
“That is an admirable philosophy.” Would any other gentlemen of Mr. Darcy’s standing have bothered to assist a diminutive amphibian? “I had believed the newt to be beyond aid. Now I know better.”
Mr. Darcy mounted Regal, and we returned to the main path. His act of kindness inspired me to enquire whether he had any unusual pets in his youth.
“When I was nine or ten, I found an abandoned young red squirrel at Pemberley in the woods near the stables. The helpless creature could not have survived on its own. I brought her to our head groom, Sam, and asked for his help.”
He glanced at me, his magnetic irises glinting. “Not only is Sam an expert horseman, but he is also well-versed in the care and behaviour of most other animals. He concocted a formula with goat’s milk and showed me how to care for the squirrel. For the next month or so, I fed her every few hours, day and night, until she grew strong enough to be released.”
