The musical sounds of genteel giggles drew me to the front sitting room, where Elizabeth and Miss de Bourgh sat togetherpartaking of tea. I stood at the doorway and observed them.
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Anne, if you persist in carrying Jasper so much, I fear he will forget how to walk.”
With a sheepish smile, Miss de Bourgh’s gaze lowered to the sleeping puppy on her lap. “In my defence, I began carrying Jasper in the house to appease Mrs. Reynolds, who has looked askance upon him as though she expects him to soil the carpets at any moment. However, I cannot deny the allure of holding him. We formed a bond within minutes of our meeting as though he had been meant for me.”
Elizabeth caressed the puppy’s head. “I dare say he is precisely where he belongs.” When I entered the room, she stood. “Ah, Graham. Pray join us.”
“I am afraid I cannot stay for long.”
Miss de Bourgh pointed at the puppy on her lap. “You must excuse me for not rising. As you can see, I could not be happier with my new friend. I cannot thank you enough for bringing us together.”
“You are most welcome." My gaze flitted between the two ladies. "I have come to take my leave of you. It is time for me to return home. Miss de Bourgh, I should be obliged if you would give my best wishes to your mother.”
“Of course I shall. I am delighted to have made your acquaintance.”
“The feeling is mutual.” I turned to Elizabeth.
She offered her hand. “I am sorry to see you go.”
I took her hand and left a kiss upon it. “I have taken my leave of Darcy. I appreciate your kind hospitality and am gratified to know I never need to fret for my friend’s happiness. In you, he has found his perfect match. I have enjoyed every minute of my stay here.”
“And you have been a delightful guest.” Elizabeth’s brow creased. “Of course, you will return, will you not?”
My smile faltered, and I chewed upon the inside of my cheek. The most prudent course would be to dissolve my connexion to them. “I cannot be certain, although I hope so. Perhaps by the time that happens, you will have forgotten me.”
A silvery laugh came from her. “I do not think that is possible.” She sobered as her mouth flattened. “Do take care of yourself.”
“Indeed, I shall.” I indulged in a final stare, taking note of each line and curve of her face. With a suppressed sigh, I bowed and departed.
Thursday, 21 September
Darcy
Elizabeth and I hastened towards the stables. Just ahead of us, Bennet ran after Rory, who led the way, barking and wagging his tail. My wife held a bag of apple and carrot pieces while I carried a bucket of grains sweetened with a touch of honey—a specific mixture prepared by the cook at my request.
At the stables, Bennet grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and pulled her to the door of his pony’s stall. “Mama, open.”
I stood behind my wife as she gave Bennet a piece of apple from the bag and unlatched the door. She hesitated, holding the door shut. “Remember, Bennet, never sneak up on a horse. Talk to him so he knows you are there.”
“Danny, it is me, Bennet. I have apple for you.” My son moved towards the pony, who swung his head from his breakfast of oathay and shifted towards him. Bennet fed Danny his snack, taking care to keep his small hand flat and open as he had been taught. After a moment, the pony returned to his meal. After stroking the pony’s chest, Bennet left the stall.
I proceeded to Regal’s stall, opened the door, and entered. My horse greeted me with an enthusiastic nicker. I set the bucket into his trough and rubbed his neck and shoulder as he ate his treat. Did he have any inkling of how much I appreciated him?
Bennet watched us from the entrance to Regal’s stall. An endearing crinkle formed between my son’s brows as he pointed to the bucket. “Papa, why does he have a special breakfast? Is today his birthday?”
I smiled at Bennet and Elizabeth, who came to stand behind him. “No, this is not Regal’s birthday, but he deserves this treat.”
He stepped closer. “Why?”
“Well, he has been a reliable and valuable friend to me.” I locked eyes with Elizabeth. Last night, I had revealed Graham’s true identity to her, as well as the revelations he had made to Richard and me. I had wanted her to benefit from the welcome information that had given me peace of mind. Having already been exposed to Graham’s extraordinary abilities, she accepted my disclosure with equanimity and admitted to having suspected her current pregnancy. For Bennet, though, I should recount an incident from two years ago.
“On one occasion, Regal and I reached the North Bridge on the way back to the estate. Although we had crossed that way many times before, Regal halted after taking one step upon the bridge. Despite my attempts to urge him forwards, he refused and backed up instead. He had never disobeyed me before without a compelling reason. I dismounted and tried to persuade him to walk over, but he locked his legs and resisted my efforts. Although I could not detect any sign of damage to the structure, I decided to take the long way around. Upon my return, I sent acouple of men to examine the bridge. They found that two of the main support boards had rotted and needed to be replaced.”
Elizabeth patted our son’s shoulder. “Do you understand what he said? Regal prevented your father from crossing an unsafe bridge, which could have resulted in a serious injury.”
Bennet’s eyes grew wide. “Regal saved you, Papa?”
“Yes, he did.” I checked the bucket and found that my horse had consumed the oat mixture, leaving nary a trace of its former contents. I stroked Regal’s forehead. A twinkle stirred in his large, dark eyes, a shining reflection of affection and intelligence.You would have saved my life a second time had you been given the chance. Thank you, my friend.
