Page 146 of Mr. Darcy Comes to Town

I wonder how long I will have to sit here before I am certain the lieutenant is gone? Mr. and Mrs. Abbot must think I have grown batty to duck beneath their counter and come into their private space without an invitation. I certainly cannot leave until I can explain what I am doing here.

“There are biscuits in that tin,” Rebecca informed her, eyes wide and pleading.

“Are there?” Lizzy asked, smiling as the little girl nodded solemnly. “Are you permitted to have one?”

Rebecca pursed her lips into a pout, twitching them back and forth as she shrugged. “Maybe…if y’have one.”

Chuckling, Lizzy rose and opened the tin. Flat biscuits dusted with ground walnuts sat in a golden jumble inside the square, painted tin. She chose two small ones and tightly closed the tin. Lizzy gave one of the biscuits to Rebecca.

“Thank you, miss,” the little girl said, politely waiting to take a bite until Lizzy tried hers. “Do you like it? I helped. I roll the dough in the walnuts.”

Lizzy bit into the biscuit and nodded. “It is wonderful.”

Rebecca bit into her treat, nodding rapidly afterward. She started as her mother bustled in from the shop, dropping the biscuit onto the table. Hastily, she covered it with her poppet.

“I saw that, Rebecca Ann Abbot,” her short, plump mother said, putting her hands on her hips. “Did Miss Bennet give y’that?”

“Yes, Mum,” her daughter said in a small voice. “I asked fer one.”

“Hmm. It’s good yer bein’ honest.” Mrs. Abbot focused on her guest. “Miss Lizzy. What can I do fer ye?”

Lizzy grimaced. “I saw how busy you were, ma’am, and thought I could have a rest in here without bothering you.”

Mrs. Abbot gave her a searching look. “Rebecca, take that there biscuit out back and play there wi’ yer poppet and Spotty, that’s a good girl.”

Rebecca snatched her poppet and biscuit and scurried out the back door into the garden, Spotty hurrying after her. Her mother closed the door behind them, poured herself a cup of tea, replaced the linen square, and sat down at the table with Lizzy.

“Now, tell me what’s really amiss,” she ordered.

Lizzy folded her lips inside her mouth and then sighed. “Did you see the militia lieutenant in the shop?”

“The handsome one who left as soon as y’ducked under our counter?”

“He is gone, then?” Lizzy asked. Her shoulders relaxed as soon as Mrs. Abbot nodded. “Thank heavens.”

“Has he been botherin’ ye, Miss Lizzy?” At Lizzy’s nod, she added, “What’s the world comin’ to, I ask ye, when a young lady can’t walk about her own neighborhood safely? I don’t care what some say—that the militia campin’ here for the winter is a good thing—I think it’s askin’ fer trouble.”

“I am hoping that the arrival of their colonel will keep the young officers in line,” Lizzy said, blowing air out in a gust. She drank more of her tea. “This is lovely, ma’am. Thank you.”

“I think the weather’s goin’ t’change soon,” Mrs. Abbot observed. “It’s been that hot. Oh, can ye hear? The front doorbell keeps ringin’. I’d best be gettin’ back to helpin’ me husband.” She rose and nodded toward the back door. “You leave by the rear gate if ye want to. But, afore y’go, was there somethin’ ye wanted to get today?”

Lizzy, recalled to her original reason for entering the shop, said, “I thought I might get a new hair ornament for the assembly tomorrow night. Do you have anything with feathers?”

“I ‘ave jist the thing,” Mrs. Abbot promised. “The feather’s white, too, so y’could wear it with most any dress.”

“That sounds lovely,” Lizzy said. Mrs. Abbot bustled out and returned swiftly with a tray holding several hair clips with feathers as part of their ornamentation. Lizzy quickly deliberated. She nodded, saying, “You are right. The one with the white feather is perfect.”

“I’ll wrap it up fer ye.”

Soon, Lizzy was slipping out the back gate, a package tucked into her reticule. She glanced left and right down the laneway. Seeing both ways empty of anyone in a redcoat, she wasted no time in finding her way out of Meryton and onto a path through the fields.

That Wickham has destroyed my peace, she thought to herself. Not far from Meryton, Harry padded along the path toward her, his tail wagging and his tongue lolling.

“Ah, my knight,” Lizzy said, crouching to greet him, pulling gently on one of his ears. “Thank you for coming to meet me. I feel safer now. Let us proceed.”

Harry chuffed his readiness to join her, and they continued along the path to home.

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