“One always feels better when surrounded by the comforts of home,” Miss Darcy added. “Miss Bennet will improve once she sees her sister and her sweet dog.”
Remy, seeming to know that he had gained their attention, spun in a circle, then promptly plopped down in the middle of a puddle.
“Remy!” Elizabeth cried. She did not have a lead to tug on. “Oh! This is why I wanted you to stay at Longbourn!” His ears perked up at the familiar name. “No, that is not where we are going, and you can forget about seeing Jane when you are a mucky mess. Cook will not let you into her kitchen when she sees you, and I am inclined not to give you a bath at all today when I gave you a perfectly lovely one yesterday, you troublesome mongrel!”
Only once the words were said did she consider how strange she must seem talking to a dog. Remy lowered his face into the water, splashing and playing, inviting them to join in the fun. Archie, however, was backing cautiously away from him.
Mr. Darcy’s face was too grave to be taken seriously when he addressed Remy himself. “What is this, sir? Are we to understand that you lay in the puddleon purpose?”
“That is exactly what he does! Remy loves his bathsso much that he will roll in the mud to secure another. I had left him in the kitchen back at Longbourn, but he managed to escape.”
Mr. Darcy turned back to Remy. “Have you nothing to say in your defense?”
Remy sneezed into the water. Elizabeth had to give the animal credit. On a path riddled with puddles, he was lying in the last and quite possibly the deepest one.
With a chuckle, Mr. Darcy handed the basket to a footman who had emerged from the house. Then he helped his sister down from her saddle and set her gently on the gravel drive.
The stable boy gathered the horses’ reins, clicking his tongue for them to follow his lead. Before he started moving, Elizabeth asked Mr. Bingley in the boy’s hearing, “Might Remy stay in the stables until I see Jane? I apologize for the inconvenience?—”
Mr. Bingley stopped her. “It is no trouble at all.” To the boy, he said, “See that you dry him off before you rub down the horses. He is friendly.” It was a good plan, and Remy was content to follow the boy until he realized Elizabeth was walking in the opposite direction. Ducking his head, he jogged over to their party, too intent on her to heed the stable boy’s clucks and whistles.
It had been worth a try. She sighed. “It appears that I shall have to make a stop at the stables first.”
Mr. Darcy patted his leg and whistled in a manner that commanded attention. “Come, Remy, we are old friends. Perhaps you will agree to accompany me.” Hestepped toward the stables at the back of the house. “We will get you dried off. If you do not give the grooms any trouble, I shall see that you get a treat. Archie owes you a bone.” Remy walked after him, looking over his shoulder at Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy continued talking, “Good boy, Remy. Come get your treat!”
Elizabeth’s dog was not the most intelligent animal in the kingdom, but he knew the significance of the word “treat” as well as he understood Mr. Darcy’s praise. He followed the gentleman, who continued chatting with him as they rounded the corner of the house. “I cannot promise it will be a meaty bone, but we shall see what the cook has for you in the kitchens, eh, boy?”
Biting her lips together, Elizabeth watched her feet all the way inside the house. Miss Darcy waited for her inside the door. Elizabeth knew that if their eyes met, she might giggle at the pleasing image stuck in her mind of Mr. Darcy talking to her dog in the same manner she did.
“Miss Elizabeth!” called Miss Bingley. Her hand trailed a path down the banister as she descended, stopping one step from the bottom. Looking down from her added height, she added, “A pleasure, to be sure.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” Elizabeth did not think much of Miss Bingley, but she was there to see Jane, not to call on Netherfield’s hostess. Still, proper decorum must be observed. “Allow me to express mygratitude for being such an attentive friend to Jane during her illness. She wrote that you have seen to her every comfort.”
Miss Bingley nodded in acknowledgment. “It is the least I can do.”
“It has been our privilege!” her brother gushed, inducing her lips to pinch.
“If it pleases Miss Bingley—” Miss Darcy began.
“Caro, darling.”
“Em, yes, as you have said… Caro… I would like to show Miss Elizabeth to her sister’s room. It is on the way to mine, and I must change my riding habit.”
“I shall accompany you,” Miss Bingley offered.
“I am eager to learn how our patient fares, so I shall join you.” Mr. Bingley motioned for his sister to precede him. It was apparent that his intention to accompany them had soured Miss Bingley’s mood, but she quickly covered her ill-humor.
The excessively large party was walking down the length of the guest wing when a maid stepped out of a bedchamber into the hall and closed the door softly behind her. “Is Miss Bennet much improved?” Miss Bingley asked her. “Her sister is here to accompany her to Longbourn.” Clearly, the lady was ready to be rid of her guest.
“Oh, miss, I beg you not to wake her now. She only just fell asleep after a long night of tossing and turning.” The maid wrung her hands in her apron as she stood in front of the door as though to bar passage from anyone who dared wake Jane.
Elizabeth spoke in a whisper. “I brought some remedies. A footman carried them inside.”
The maid nodded. “Mrs. Nichols will know where he put them.” Her eyes softened. “Miss Bennet will be more at ease with you here, miss.”
“And yet, she was able to sleep before I got here, thanks, no doubt, to you.”
“It was nothing, miss.”
