“No, it does not,” he said, rubbing his temples.
“Nor I when Miss Bennet found you. So, I investigated.”
“You investigated? For what purpose?”
Richard said, “Darcy, you haven’t been thrown from a horse since you were a young lad. I wanted to confirm there was no reason for you to have ended on the ground other than your own inability to ride.”
Oh, how I have missed Richard.“My inability to ride? And other than that… Did you find anything to determine there had been foul play?”
“None. So that can mean only one thing.”
“Yes?”
Richard leaned forward catching Darcy’s complete attention. “That you are just as clumsy an oaf as when we were children.”
“If my head did not ache, I would throttle you.”
Richard chuckled and lay a hand on Darcy’s shoulder. “In all seriousness, you gave me quite a scare, Cousin. Do noteverforce me to imagine living in a world without Fitzwilliam Darcy again. Do you understand?”
Oh, I do. More than you know.
“I would be required to pilfer second rate brandy from my brother’s cellars. You know how priggish Alfred can be. That is the last thing I want to deal with.”
Darcy closed his eyes.
“You said Miss Bennet found me?”
“Yes, she did, poor thing. She would not leave you but screamed for help, cradling your head, fearing you would not wake up.”
She cradled my head?
“There was no one nearby?”
“She called out until one of the gamekeepers found her.”
“And Ulysses? Did he bolt to Rosings?”
“No.” Colonel Fitzwilliam snorted. “He sought out Miss Bennet and would not allow her to leave until she followed him. That is how she discovered you.”
Darcy leaned back on the pillow and closed his eyes.
“Do you remember anything from before your fall?”
“Such as?” Darcy opened his eyes and glanced up at Richard.
“Such as why you were in the woods?”
“Only a ride.”
A skeptical look crossed Richard’s face. “The morning we were to leave? My batman informed me Briggs said he was packing your things, and we would leave once you returned from an errand.”
“And?”
“And what was your errand?”
Darcy closed his eyes again. “Fresh air.” He forced his eyes to remain closed, unwilling to view the look he knew would be on Richard’s face.
“Interesting.” After a few moments of silence, Richard said, “Georgiana informed me that she was acquainted with Miss Elizabeth Bennet through your letters from Netherfield.”
