“West, North, or South today?” Miss Mary asked as the wind picked up before turning to explain to Miss Elizabeth. “We went East yesterday, which direction would you like to go?”
“Over there,” Miss Elizabeth breathed as she hesitantly motioned toward a flat, open field.
“Of course; what a wonderful idea,” she returned, her voice laced with cheer for her sister’s sake.
Moving to the front of their group, Miss Mary set an easy pace, her eyes cutting toward Miss Elizabeth regularly.He would not be the only one looking out for her, though he would endeavor to see to her comfort.
With a light tug of his reins, Darcy found a place by Miss Elizabeth’s side, his mount’s pace conforming to her mare’s stride for stride.
“Are you comfortable, Miss Elizabeth?” he asked softly as she stared down at her saddle, the reins gripped tight in her hands. “Or I should say, is there anything I can do to make you more so?”
“My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me,” she chuckled as she forced her head upright, “though I do not believe that this mare sought such intimidation. What is her name even, I wonder? I did not ask… she and I might have better relations if we were on a first name basis.”
“Heather,” he answered, “Fitz and your sister visited the stable this morning to seek out the perfect mount for you, and when he returned, he told me your mare’s name was Heather, for she came from Scotland and Lady Charmane felt that Thistle or Loch would not befit such a sweet lady as Heather is. She, by now, must know your name as well, so you two are on the road to friendship I believe.”
“Heather,” Miss Elizabeth smiled. “It suits her. As for friendship… I cannot say yet, though she has made no move I can decry, and she is not as tall as those we have at Longbourn, which is a mark in her favour.”
“She is a little smaller than most, but not much.”
“Compared to ours she is… they double in duty you see, none of them could be spared solely for riding, and thus we chose larger and sturdier stock. Jane and Mary never shied away from them, and they each enjoyed riding more than all of our sisters, so what opportunity any of us could find, they were first slated to ride. Then once they had, Lydia would, and then Kitty, and by the time I could have ridden I more often than not chose to give my turn to Jane or Mary. I had every opportunity, you see, but I chose not to. Lack of interest mainly… but lack of courage too, I admit with great reluctance. I do not like to be bested by much; I still did not put up much of a fight in this.”
“You said yourself, you were not interested,” he said as Miss Mary and Fitz led their group, Bingley and Miss Bennet trailing behind. “It is easier to give up on a thing you do not have passion for; all the more so if you do not even find purpose and duty in it. Riding is as anything in that, and we all must have an inner need to go beyond, or else we are little more than boats laid out on the shore. Your need to go beyond simply has not included riding; until now that is, for that turn to your countenance tells much. You have decided already to let your courage rise, have you not?”
“I have… though I am surprised you could tell that as easily as you did. Do I appear so very fierce?” she questioned; cheeks and nose pinked from the cold.
“Determined perhaps, fierce well… only if I were the thing you wished to conquer. As it stands, your expression is for riding, so I count myself safe.”
“Safe indeed, Mr. Darcy,” she laughed as she allowed Heather to walk at her normal pace, his own falling a few steps behind. Glancing over her shoulder she cried gaily, “Catch us if you can!”
Lifting his reins he grinned,He would do just that.
∞∞∞
Staffordshire, England – 1812 – Day 4
“Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Thomson sneered as he sat back, hands steepled in front of him as he observed Darcy lazily, “You have been to America. Tell me, what is your view of this war they began?”
Head jerking toward the pompous man, Darcy’s eyes narrowed.For days Mr. Thomson had been whispering rumours and outright lies to anyone who would listen. Each venomous whisper regarding the Darcy family heritage and their connections to America, but particularly of their grandfather and even their father being a traitor to the Crown!
Illegal or not, he would gladly duel the man if he made one more remark!
But his sisters,he reminded himself,they still had need of him. And,he smiled as he recalled the beguiling Miss Elizabeth Bennet,as much as he had witnessed her own ire at Mr. Thomson’s accusations, he would despair at having her angry at him. And her approving a duel after their earlier jest seemed unlikely.
A pity he would have to restrain himself.
Taking a full breath, he prepared to answer the man, for all the good it might do, only to find Lord Brayburn joining the conversation.
Laying aside his newspaper, he took up his tea as he remarked, “The Americans do have valid reasons for their ire–though I will admit war is a strong response. When that Erskine fellow–a minister of our government you may recall–gave promise to President Madison that we would withdraw our Orders in Council, our government ought to have stood behind it in spite of Erskine exceeding his authority. It had been in consideration before after all. Instead, they let it stand until earlier this year–over three years after Erskine’s promise!”
“That man had no authority,” Mr. Thomson scoffed. “None! What sort of precedent would it have set to other ministers abroad? What message would it send to other nations? America included. They are a nation without regard. Indeed, it may do them well to discover their own insignificance–this war is able to remind them of that.”
“What message? That Great Britain keeps her word! Disavowing Erskine’s promise does us no favours with the Americans, or in Europe for that matter. Our word appears faulty. Our honour, lacking. No. War was not the answer, but what trust had been earned was broken. That, doubtless, gave them renewed suspicion; past wrongs recalled to present in their minds.”
“Past wrongs?IFwe had done any wrongs, they had been righted. Truly, their being upset over the impressment of a few, inconsequential seamen is petty at best; it has been done for centuries, and not by us alone. No. Other nations have and do still add to their vessels that way, and there is nothing wrong with that.”
“American citizens being taken is hardly inconsequential when there is the threat of war. Our resources are needed for this wretched war with France. What say you, Mr. Darcy?” Lord Brayburn questioned as he turned his back toward Mr. Thomas.
“That a war with America is the last thing we require. As you say, Lord Brayburn, it is foolish. No matter one’s opinion on who is right or wrong, a war is far from what is needed. We have been fighting Napoleon for years, and warring with France for longer still. Another war. Another front. That is folly. And the Americans are no more in need of another war than we are. It is now the duty of our governments to set aside grievances in the pursuit of peace. And make concessions if that is what is required. That is my view.” Darcy said, a curt glance sent toward Mr. Thomson before making his way toward the window, the snow coming down heavy and fast.
