She was so innocent. Darcy instinctively compared her to Georgiana and couldn’t help looking back over his shoulder. The contrast between his poor sister and his laughing wife made his head hurt.
No. It would be unthinkable to hold Elizabeth to her promise.
What a loathsome trade they had made! Elizabeth had offered to tie her life to his, and he had accepted with the careless greed of a desperate man. He had not cared enough, then, to see what a wretched purgatory it would be.
And it is an impossible task.He thought, staring at his sister and seeing her awful condition anew.Nobody can help her. Not even an angel.
The air in the music room suddenly felt stifling. Darcy rang for Miss Crocker as he stretched. His arms and legs cracked, the muscles stiff from his long days of idleness. As soon as the servant arrived, he kissed Georgiana and left.
The urge to go to Elizabeth was overwhelming. After so long in the darkness, Darcy longed to go out into the clean air and sunshine. He even took a few steps in that direction before his aching limbs convinced him otherwise.
He was not presentable (or even technically mobile; he moved with such a cacophony of clicks that he might have hired himself out to an orchestra!). There would be plenty of fresh air in his room. He could throw the windows open, lie on his soft bed instead of an uncomfortable chair, and change into clean clothes.
Even the thought of his pillows made him yawn. He headed upstairs and rang for his valet. He was deeply asleep when the servant arrived.
Chapter 19
Mrs. Reynolds told Elizabeth that every drop of alcohol from Pemberley was gone. It had taken longer than both women had hoped, for Pemberley was filled with intimate nooks and storerooms where a determined man could hide as much as he wanted. The housekeeper had sent servants out in shifts to scour every room. It was an activity which set their dislike for Mrs. Darcy in stone, but Mrs. Reynolds refused to let them give up.
Now, she proudly told her mistress, the house was dry. Even the warming flasks that the gamekeepers kept in their huts were thrown away. The only decanter that remained was…
“What, why is there still a decanter?” Elizabeth interrupted, “I told you to get rid of all of them.”
“We cannot take it, ma’am. It is in Mr. Darcy’s private chamber.”
“But that is all themorereason to take it! We are doing this for his sake.”
“We are, madam, but…” the older woman hesitated, and then looked her mistress directly in the eye, “He is our master, ma’am. We cannot steal from him. You do not know what it means for a servant to do that. If we take something from his private rooms, he will be furious.”
“Very well.” Elizabeth replied, cutting the woman’s protestations off with a raised hand, “I know you must be careful. I shall go and get it myself. Where is it?”
Mrs. Reynolds eyed her worriedly, then sighed. “In his sitting room, madam, in the cabinet beside the writing desk. Mrs. Darcy, if I may be so bold: the servants already gossip about you. I have tried to correct them, but I cannot prevent every whisper. Their opinion is based on Mr. Darcy’s conduct towards you… and he did you no favours by abandoning you at your very arrival.”
“I told him to go.”
“You did, and I understand why, but they do not. I cannot explain matters to them without sounding like I am making excuses. They are loyal to their master and honestly think you have coerced him into a marriage which he does not want. It was so sudden, ma’am. He ignores you, and so do they.”
“He ignores me because he is with his sister.”
“Those are the actions of a husband, madam, but not the actions of a man in love. That is what they say, at least.”
Elizabeth blushed but bluntly said: “We married for convenience alone. There is no harm in the servants knowing that. Why are you telling me this now, Mrs. Reynolds?”
“Because you are planning to undermine the master’s orders, madam. If they know you are doing it, then it will only add to their dislike.”
“So, you are warning me to be circumspect.” Elizabeth sighed, then gave the servant a crooked smile, “It is a strange feeling to sneak around one’s own house, Mrs. Reynolds. I suppose that is why it does not yet feel like my home.”
“It will, ma’am.” Mrs. Reynolds gave her an encouraging look, then gave her a broad smile. There was mischief in her eyes. “The billiards room needs redecorating, ma’am. Choose a colour thatyoulike. The master dislikes green, but I think it will suit the cherry wood rather well. Oh, and you must choose fabric for the curtains in the morning room, they are rather faded. If it doesn’t feel like your home, Mrs. Darcy, then you must make your mark on it.”
Lizzie laughed. “I wouldn’t know where to start!”
“You give me the orders, madam, and I will do the rest.” the servant unexpectedly winked, which made Elizabeth laugh again. Then she waved a hand towards the door. “There is a secret passage between the small library and Lady Anne’s old room, and an adjoining door between the master bedrooms. You can get into Mr. Darcy’s rooms without anyone seeing, ma’am.”
Elizabeth had never thought of the housekeeper as cunning. The realisation amused her while she followed the directions. The passageway was dark and smelled of old dust. When she opened the door at the end of it, fresh air filled her lungs.
Lady Anne’s rooms were bright and airy. They were twice the size of Elizabeth’s room but had an understated elegance that made them feel modest. The furniture was very fine, carefully polished even though the rooms were unused. A washbasin sat on a washstand whose filigree was so cleverly made that it barely looked able to hold the weight. Elizabeth ran her fingers along the dressing table, marvelling at the large mirror and the beautifully blushing varnish.
A small hand mirror had been carefully placed on a lace doily. Lizzie could not help picking it up. It was as light as a feather, with exquisitely crafted silver around the glass. She turned itover and saw a painted rose on the back. It was pink, but the artist had managed to pick out highlights in a way that made them shine like the silver frame.
