“Elizabeth prepared a kite late last night. I hope it works and there is enough of a breeze to fly it. It should keep him well entertained. I promised my nieces we will make flower crowns,” Jane reassured her.
“How lovely, Fitzwilliam used to make me flower crowns.” Georgiana slapped a hand over her mouth. “Do not let him know I told you,” she whispered.
“I shall not,” Jane whispered back. They giggled and when she calmed, Jane added, “We also brought bread crumbs. If the ducks are at the pond, all the children will enjoy feeding them.”
The whole party spent a pleasant couple of hours feeding ducks, making flower crowns and one of the footmen helped youngWalter get the kite to fly a little. They might have remained a little longer, but Jane had noticed a man watching them at the start of the day and she now espied him again. His attention was focused solely on their party. It disconcerted her how he did not even try to hide himself.
She asked one of the footmen to walk over and speak to the man, but he disappeared before the footman reached him.
When the Darcy footman returned to their party, he looked quite stern. Jane’s apprehension rose. “Georgiana, children, you must forgive me, but I am not feeling well. I regret we need to cut our outing short.”
“Jane, you do look pale. Perhaps you should sit down.” Georgiana looked around looking for a place where Jane could sit.
“No! I mean, I thank you, no. We shall pack up and return to the Gardiners. As quickly as possible, please.” Despite several complaints and whines from the children, everything was packed up within ten minutes and they began the return to Gracechurch Street.
Jane conferred quietly with the footmen, asking one to be in front and the other at their backs. Each child had at least one hand held by an adult. As they left the park Jane glanced back and saw the man was once again watching them as they left the park. By the time she got all her charges home Jane was panting with anxiety.
Elizabeth and Mrs Gardiner, alerted by the commotion made by the children, rose to their feet to greet the party as they entered the drawing room.
Elizabeth only had eyes for Jane, who was nearly white and shaking “Jane! What has happened.”
“Miss Bennet did not feel well and we returned early.” One of the Darcy footmen entered with them, taking a stance by the door.
Mrs Gardiner comprehended all was not as it should be. “Children, I am sorry your outing was cut short, go to the school room and I shall have Cook send up refreshments. I know she baked fresh biscuits for you. Go on up now.” The governess herded the children up the stairs, taking most of the noise with them.
“Lizzy, I will go order fresh tea and arrange for the children’s tea. Meanwhile, see if Jane will take some wine, and perhaps a cold compress, as well. She looks done in.”
Elizabeth and Georgiana offered wine and comfort to a still shaking Jane. “Georgiana, stay with Jane, please. I shall go and retrieve a shawl I left in the back parlour.”
By the time Elizabeth returned with the shawl, Jane was sipping wine and Mrs Gardiner was dabbing a cold compress to Jane’s forehead. Elizabeth draped the shawl over her shoulders and rubbed her back to create a warm friction.
“Jane, can you tell us what happened?” Mrs Gardiner sat beside her on the settee.
“I feel so silly now, but… there was a man. He was watching us.” A tremor in her voice gave away her continued high emotions
Elizabeth stopped rubbing her sister’s back and moved to where she could see Jane’s face. “Watching you? I do not understand.”
“He stood there, not moving. Not looking at anything or anyone else. Only focused on us, our party. His attention never wavered.” Her voice rose in pitch and volume and the other ladies all shushed her and offered comfort.
Elizabeth gasped, as she recalled a memory. “Therewasa man.”
“Elizabeth?” Her aunt inquired sharply.
“The day we all went to the dressmaker together. I saw him. Twice.” She placed both hands to the sides of her head. “He was across the street, watching us leave here in the morning and I saw him again when I left Mrs Bean’s establishment to hail a hackney to return here. I am sorry. I am so sorry, it completely escaped my mind. I did not think… Jane, what did he look like?”
“He… he was too far away; I could not see him with any detail. Only that he never moved his gaze from our party.” She swallowed a gulp of wine. “Oh, he does have a beard.”
“A beard, yes. It must be the same man. But, why -”
“Shh, Lizzy.” Mrs Gardiner spoke over Elizabeth. “I shall send a note to ask Mr Gardiner to return home. This is too peculiar a pattern to take lightly and will, I am sure, be much discussed.”
“And Mr Darcy.” Elizabeth insisted.
“My brother? Why?” Georgiana’s expression was one of confusion.
“Georgiana.” Not wishing to cause her alarm, Elizabeth spoke gently. “Both that day and today, you were in our company. Your brother needs to know.” She raised her brows waiting for Georgiana’s reaction.
Her mouth opened into a circle, and she blinked a couple of times. Straightening her shoulders, she nodded. “I will write a note. John,” she addressed the footman, “You will take the carriage and bring the note to my brother. Ask him to come as soon as he can. I suppose ‘try not to alarm him’ goes without saying.”
