Darcy's expression softened as he gazed down at her. “I like them. But even if I did not, I know the Gardiners are among your favourite people. Therefore, their happiness is important to me.”
As they continued their walk, they came upon a small grove of holly trees, their bright red berries a stark contrast against the white landscape. “I know mistletoe is considered the kissing bough,” Miss Elizabeth said, “but I have always preferred the holly berries. The colour is so cheerful.”
“Ah,” Darcy said, reaching out to pluck a sprig of holly and tuck it into his pocket. “You must have been pleased to inherit a house called Hollydale.”
“I was. I am.”
“We shall use holly in our own decorations, then. Georgiana is quite insistent that every room be properly adorned until the end of the festive season.” He lifted his chin to indicate the house, and Miss Elizabeth followed the direction of his gaze, where Miss Lydia, Miss Kitty, and his sister were ducking away from an upstairs window.
“Georgiana has certainly embraced the festive spirit. I believe she and my younger sisters plan to spend the afternoon fashioning garlands. Lydia and Kitty brought some greenery in earlier—they could not wait to begin.”
She stopped to say a few words to one of the footmen who returned inside.
“I sent him to request that Cook begin heating a great deal of water,” she said with a little laugh.
He marvelled at how she had managed the transition from the daughter of an estate to the mistress of one, but the question gnawed at him: had she truly been unaware? Had she carried no suspicion at all that she might be heir to something so grand?
His curiosity overpowered him. “Did you know you were Mr. Ellis’s heir?” Darcy inquired, abruptly. He was still bemused about how the entire inheritance had come about.
“No, I was entirely surprised,” she told him. “I met Mr. Ellis in the churchyard the day my Uncle and Aunt Gardiner were married in Lambton. Mr. Ellis was speaking to his departed wife, and I felt sorry for him. I asked him to tell me about her, and he did. Then, each time I travelled north with the Gardiners, he came to visit Mrs. Wright, and we would speak about the books I had read, play cards for fish that had no value, compose lists of tasks, carry parcels to the church. He used to tease me because I wanted to stop to pet every stray dog along the way. I did not think it was more than that—he was simply my friend.”
“I can well imagine the light your friendship brought him in his later years—you are charming now, but as a young girl, I imagine you were irrepressible. Just the sort of spirit Ellis appreciated.”
“Thank you?”
Darcy placed his gloved hand over hers as it rested on his arm. “It was most definitely a compliment.”
Her lips quirked slightly, and then she said tentatively, “You are fond of Christmas, are you not?”
Darcy sensed hesitation in her voice, though he could not fathom why. “I am,” he replied with a soft smile. “Though I must admit, I prefer the traditions to the grand balls.”
“That pleases me,” she said. “For I feel the same.”
Finally, Darcy broke the silence, his voice soft but steady. “Elizabeth, there is something I have been meaning to ask you.”
She turned to him, meeting his eyes with a quiet readiness. “Go on.”
Darcy smiled gently, as if to reassure her. “I have noticed, over the past several months, that you have disappeared more than once on secretive errands.”
“I had hoped you would ask,” she said quietly. “For I knew not how to begin.”
Darcy stopped walking, turning to face her fully. His brow furrowed slightly, but his eyes were filled with patience and love. “I do not ask out of any suspicion, Elizabeth. I ask because we are to be wed, and because I want to understand you. Whatever it is, you can trust me.”
Elizabeth looked out at the water. “I would not have accepted your proposal if I did not already trust you.” She took a breath. “I inherited Hollydale House.”
Darcy nodded, puzzled. “Of course.”
She smiled faintly. “Hollydale House is more than just an estate. It has a secret. A responsibility. When Mr. Ellis left it to me, he entrusted me with something that has been passed down for generations.”
Darcy listened intently, his curiosity deepening. “Go on.”
Elizabeth took another breath, trying to find the right words. “It is called Christmas House. It is a place that, for as long as anyone can remember, has carried the spirit of Christmas throughout the year. The master or mistress of Christmas House is responsible for helping those in need, but always in secret. No one is supposed to know where the help comes from, because in truth, we are only the messengers.”
Darcy remained silent, allowing her to continue.
“I have been using the resources left to me by Mr. Ellis to discreetly help those in need. The Milners have been my trusted allies in all of this. They have helped me distribute food, clothing, and other necessities to those who are struggling, particularly in the winter months.”
Understanding dawned. “I saw you leave the house to deliver a sack to a wagon-driver.”
