“It is likely to rain in the morning; I heard the farmers talking about it in Lambton. You ought to wear my wool pelisse.”
“No, I only just cleaned it for you to wear, ma’am.” The hairbrush tugged her head with every pull. At least the coral ring never got tangled in her hair.
“You will get it less dirty than I will.” That Carew did not argue spoke to the truth of the matter. “I do not intend to go walking tomorrow, and you already agreed to borrow it. Do not force me to bring the Darcys into it,” she added with a laugh.
“Very well, ma’am. For the convenience of the Darcys.”
When her hair was dressed, Carew appraised her and said, evenwhilst wearing her typical stern look, “You will do.” She curtseyed and turned to the door.
“Carew,” she called, and then went to the wardrobe to take out her pelisse. “You shall need this if it is cool. Take it now, I insist. Enjoy your visit with your father, and thank you for all of your help since I have been at Pemberley.”
Elizabeth saw in her large blue eyes that she felt more grateful than the quiet “Thank you” she expressed.
It wastime to go to the dining room, but when he had to descend the stairs, Darcy allowed himself to be distracted and walked into his father’s room. It was really an anteroom to a larger space with an arched doorframe at both its entrance and the one into the adjoining room. It was now most often used as a quick passage to get to the stairs. He looked out the window at the gardens. His head gardener had asked him what he wanted done once the ground was cleared and they could replant.
Who could be concerned with an ornamental garden when a mountain of water and debris carried people away?And also household goods, crops, livestock; so much was lost.
He learnt exactly how much was lost as all of his tenants met with him in the Pemberley Arms, with Elizabeth neatly recording everything. He had not known Elizabeth was staying on at Pemberley until Balfour told him in the village that Mrs Lanyon had invited her to stay. As happy as he was to have her company for longer, he had been shocked to see her amidst a crowd equally ready to riot or weep.
Elizabeth is a real and loyal friend.
If he could only have a friendship with her rather than an enamoured love, he would accept that. He wanted that true attachment and constancy from a marriage of equal, and ardent, affection, but if he could not have that with Elizabeth, he would be content with her loyal friendship. He hoped that passion of the romantic order might still be had, but he could not wonder on it now, and her friendship alone was worth preserving.
He looked over the garden, but his mind passed over the food, clothing, and canvas tents to be handed out, how to organise who could stay with relatives and who had nowhere to turn, and who was missing.
The school-turned-deadhouse would have more additions; they would find more bodies when the water receded.My tenants, the village shopkeepers, my servants’ families, the lower gentry; none were spared.If it rained tomorrow as predicted, it might take even longer to find them.
“Mr Darcy,” a voice asked gently, “what are you doing here all alone?”
He turned to see Elizabeth watching him worriedly from the doorway. He wondered how long she had been there.
“Looking at the garden. The rain washed away a stretch of stone wall that stood for a hundred years”—he pointed, and she came next to him to look—“and some big trees gave way because there was so much water around the roots. There was a chestnut tree that was probably one hundred years old and an oak perhaps two hundred.”
“Why do you not come downstairs? I know you are of no mind for games or conversation, but you should at least eat.”
Darcy agreed and turned from the window. “Thank you for today.” He gave a wry laugh. “What a holiday you have had. You have hardly seen anything of Derbyshire. Later this week, you and Mrs Lanyon ought to see Dovedale, or Chatsworth, anything other than flooded streets. I would not have thought it possible, but you shall have a poor opinion of Derbyshire if you only stay at Pemberley.”
She shook her head. “Not at all. I have not travelled much, but Derbyshire is unlike any place I have seen. I need only look out a window and I can see light playing on the summits of the peaks. The extensive woods that surround this splendid house are backed with hills that form a beautiful scene.” She blushed. “You need notmeto tell you what you already know. I only meant I am not disappointed. I was glad to help you today, and I offer it again in any capacity you have need of. Do not bother saying it is not a lady’s place, or your guest’s place.”
He saw she was in earnest and knew arguing would be useless. “I have told Reynolds to let the hospitality of the house with respect tothe poor be kept up. Georgiana wants to call on all of our tenants, but she is shy and will not know what to say.” Elizabeth was already nodding her agreement to go with her. “You need not return to Lambton,” he added heavily.
“I do not think there shall be another near riot. You managed their fears and concerns admirably.”
Darcy had not shown it, but he had felt a tenuous grasp of control over that desperate group, and he had not been certain he could hold it. He tried to deflect her praise, not wanting to think on it. “Commotions like that sort are like snowballs; they gather in strength as they roll, and I simply stood in opposition to it.”
“If we continue the comparison, one must do more than merely stand in its way, otherwise you would have been bowled over. You were strong enough, and empathetic enough, to crumble and divide the snowball before it picked up speed and worsened to become an avalanche.”
He still feared that managing this recovery was too much for his abilities; it was already far, far beyond his experience. “Well, let us hope that it shall not happen again and everyone is now assured their needs will be met.”
“You might...” Elizabeth hesitated, pressing her lips together. “I think anyone in such a position as yours might be in need of a counsellor, another gentleman who would listen.”
Darcy felt immutably weary, and he must have looked it because Elizabeth did not press him to reply. He gestured towards the door to hint that they might go down to dinner, but his eyes first passed slowly over the room.
“Is something else the matter?” she asked.
He looked again, from the table, the sofas, to the bookshelves, to the mantelpiece, frowning. “There is something different about my father’s room, but I cannot place what it is.”
To his surprise, Elizabeth looked embarrassed. “Oh, yes, that is my fault.” She pointed to the miniatures. “I did not want Miss Darcy to be distressed, and took it upon myself to redecorate. It is only just turned facedown behind the others if you want to put it to rights.”
