“Indeed, we are,” Elizabeth replied with a huff. “I had wanted to see the sunrise from the summit because Charlotte told me what a pretty picture it makes, but these lazy sisters of mine,” she swept her hand to encompass all of her smiling sisters, which included Anna, “refused to leave their beds before dawn.”
“Lizzy, you and William are the only two of us who seem to revel in waking before the sun is up,” Anna teased. At twelve, she looked very much like a younger version of her mother.
William guided Zeus so he was riding next to Lizzy. “I will meet you on the morrow at dawn if you would like to ride to the hill and see the sunrise from there,” he offered and then added. “Of course, with your guards and Mrs Annesley as well. I was not suggesting something improper…” He stopped when he heard Lizzy’s tinkling laugh he loved so well.
“You are far too proper to suggest anything untoward. I assumed you meant with adequate chaperones,” Elizabeth responded, her beautiful eyes shining with mirth. “The sun rises at about ten after four. What say you we meet at Longbourn’s stables twenty minutes before then?”
“I will be there, but will you not be tired at the ball on the morrow?” William worried.
“No, silly man, I will rest for a few hours before the ball. I am very much looking forward to my first proper ball. So far, other than Papa dancing the first set, no one has seen fit to ask me for any of my sets,” Elizabeth stated boldly.
“I intended to wait until we were on the ground, but may I reserve your supper and final sets?” William requested. There was no missing the way Lizzy lit up with pleasure, which made William feel joy. He saw her nod. “Is that a yes,LadyElizabeth?”
“Yes,MasterDarcy, it is a yes,” Elizabeth shot back impertinently.
Seeing what passed between William and Lizzy and the reactions of both told Fitzwilliam that his cousin had made his request for dances which had been granted. “Jane, I have been remiss not to ask you before now, but will you grant me your three important sets at the ball on the morrow?” he asked.
“Richard! Of course I will. You are the only man with whom I would dance all three of those sets,” Jane replied, looking at the man she loved through half-lowered eyelashes. She hoped a proposal was not far off, but she would wait until he spoke.
Fitzwilliam had chosen the Monday after the wedding as the day he would propose to Jane. He would have proposed already but he did not want to take any attention away from the upcoming wedding. It had been some time now that Jane had held his heart, and from little things she said, it had not been difficult to divine that she loved him too.
While the four younger girls chattered away happily, the two couples, one acknowledged and the other not, rode on in companionable silence.
They enjoyed the vista from the summit of Oakham Mount. Even though it was possible to ride up the path, given how many there were, they decided to leave the horses at the base of the hill with the groom and one of the footman-guards. Biggs walked up ahead of the riding party while Johns and the other man followed.
Elizabeth could see why Charlotte had told her how stunning the view was at sunrise with the way the fields of surrounding estates were laid out like a patchwork quilt to the north and east, with Meryton and Netherfield Park beyond it to the west. To the south and east were Longbourn, Lucas Lodge, and Purvis Lodge and their fields. On the one side of the top, near where they stood, was a stand of four old oak trees, ones it seemed after which the hill was named.
On the eastern side of the summit was a flattened boulder. Charlotte had told Lizzy it was the perfect place to sit and watch the sunrise. Her soon-to-be sister was correct; that spot gave an unimpeded view to the east. She wondered why in all the times they had been at Netherfield Park over the years they had never come here.
After everyone had looked around, they began the walk down with Johns and another man in the lead.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As planned, when they were all dressed in their finery, those at Longbourn who would attend the ball made their way to Netherfield Park.
As she sat in the carriage with Jane and Aunt and Uncle Phillips on their way to Netherfield Park, Elizabeth could not help but remember the ride this morning with William with much pleasure.
Mrs Annesley had not complained about the time of their departure. John, Brian, and a groom had been ready for them as well. William had arrived at the time upon which they had agreed.
They had arrived at Oakham Mount, and this time, because there were about half as many in the party, Brian had ridden up first, and when he signalled all was clear, Elizabeth, William, and Mrs Annesley guided their horses to the summit. William had assisted Elizabeth out of her saddle, and the spots where his gloved hands had touched her waist, through the layers of her riding habit, had felt very warm. Brian had helped the companion to dismount. The former took charge of all four horses.
Mrs Annesley sat on a bench under one of the oak trees while Elizabeth and William sat on the boulder facing east. They were in full view of the companion, but she would not hear if they spoke. Elizabeth retrieved a cloth from her coat’s pocket and unwrapped it. Inside were two still-warm muffins, a gift from Mrs Winters. Once the cloth was resting on her legs, Elizabeth offered one to William.
They sat in companionable silence while the sun peaked above the horizon, changing the reds, golds, and purples to a blinding show of bright rays. The fields below, which had looked grey before the sun’s light illuminated them, became vibrant colours of, among others, browns and greens as the recently planted crops had already begun to grow. They could see the sunlight glinting off windows at Netherfield Park’s manor house to the west.
Once the sun was fully above the horizon and climbing in the practically cloudless azure sky, the two reluctantly stood, and with Mrs Annesley following, they all returned to where Brian was minding the horses. William helped her mount, and like she had felt when he had assisted her before, Elizabeth felt frissons of excitement shoot out from where William’s hands held her.
Once they arrived at their destination, Elizabeth was snapped out of her reverie when Jane gave her a little nudge. “Lizzy, we are here. I tried to tell you twice before I touched you. What had you so engrossed?”
“Nothing in particular,” Elizabeth obfuscated. “I was wool-gathering.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Mr Samuelson and some of his footmen were ready to take their light outerwear given the warmer temperatures. By the time Agatha, Phillips, Jane, and Elizabeth were divested of their outerwear, Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward, also being hosted at Longbourn, arrived.
Edith and Holder were happy to see their two eldest daughters, who they had not seen since church on Sunday. They were in the main drawing room so that those being hosted at the house, the Lucases—minus Maria, who was at Longbourn—and the new arrivals could enjoy some time together before the rest of the local guests arrived.
When the two sets of parents, Charlotte, and Jamey went to man the receiving line, the rest of those who had been in the drawing room made their way down to the ballroom.
