Kitty sighed dreamily. “He’s so handsome. Andsucha fine figure on horseback!”
“Kitty, Lydia, please,” Jane gently admonished. “It is not proper to discuss a gentleman so.”
“I wonder if Mr Wickham might teach me to ride,” Lydia mused. “Wouldn’t that be thrilling?”
“What are you going to ride? That miscreant of Papa’s?” Elizabeth asked. “Thatwouldbe thrilling. We should sell tickets, Jane.”
“Not everyone hates horses, Lizzy,” Jane chuckled.
“And I don’t hate them, either. I just know well enough to keep my distance. And speaking of which…” She spun round when the sound of hoofbeats approached from behind, her heart quickening as she recognized the rider.
Mr Wickham, once again astride his magnificent bay horse, drew up beside them. The animal pranced beneath him, its coat gleaming in the afternoon sun as Mr Wickham held him in with a feather touch on the reins. Elizabeth couldn’t help but admire the picture they made—man and beast in perfect harmony, a vision of strength and grace.
Lydia let out a small whimper of delight, quickly hushed by Jane’s firm touch on her arm. Kitty’s eyes widened, and even Mary glanced up from her book, a flicker of interest crossing her usually stoic features.
Elizabeth couldn’t help swiping a hand over her mud-spattered hem and wind-tousled hair. Goodness, why did she always have to look a fright when she met handsome gentlemen?
“We meet again, ladies!” Mr Wickham called out. “I hope I am not intruding, but I could not bear to pass by without offering my company for your walk home.” With fluid grace, he dismounted, his boots hitting the ground with a soft thud. He gathered the reins in one hand and bowed slightly to the group.
“Mr Wickham,” Elizabeth greeted him, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach. “How kind of you to offer. But surely you did not plan to walk your horse all the way to Longbourn? We could not dream of imposing on you so.”
“No imposition at all, Miss Elizabeth. A short walk would do us both good, I think. Ambrose here has been cooped up in the stables far too long. Duty, you know, coupled with a spate of foul weather. I have had little leisure of late and we are both growing a bit restless. Are you not, my good fellow?” Mr Wickham patted his horse’s neck affectionately.
Elizabeth eyed the horse warily. “I’m afraid I must keep my distance, Mr Wickham. The last horse I encountered saw fit to unseat me most unceremoniously into a mud puddle. I have developed a healthy suspicion of the entire species since then.”
Wickham’s eyes danced with amusement. “Is that so, Miss Elizabeth? And here I thought you were a fearless adventurer. Shall I protect you from the terrifying beast?”
“Oh, yes,” Elizabeth replied, her tone mock-serious. “One can never be too careful. These four-legged fiends are notoriously unpredictable.”
“I assure you, this particular fiend is a perfect gentleman. Purchased from the Duke of Sterling’s stables and gifted to me by a dear friend. He is as trustworthy a mount as I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Perhaps he might even convince you to give horsemanship another try someday.”
Elizabeth laughed. “We shall see, Mr Wickham. For now, I think I shall stick to my own two feet. Which are, I regret to say, rather sodden at this moment.”
“Indeed. I am afraid my valet will give me rather a long look when he sees my boots. In all seriousness, Miss Elizabeth, is it always so muddy in September? If so, I shudder to think what another month or two of winter weather might bring.”
Lydia giggled, twirling around to face Mr Wickham. “Oh, bother the weather, Mr Wickham. Don’t you know, winter is when all the best parties happen! Do you think we might have skating parties if it floods and freezes? Wouldn’t that be delightful?”
“Lydia,” Elizabeth admonished, sending an appealing look to Mary, who liked being embarrassed even less than Elizabeth. Mary looked away, but not without giving Lydiaa hard bump in the shoulder as if she had stumbled, thus causing Lydia to divert her attention back to the path.
Elizabeth thinned her lips in some satisfaction before turning back to Mr Wickham. “I am surprised my Uncle Philips has not already apprised you. No, this is quite unusual, and no one can account for it. It is as if the embankments were all suddenly gone, and the River Mery spilling over its confines.”
“Well, that must be the case, then. Perhaps I will ride out with my steward on the morrow to inspect the weir.”
“Weir? I was not aware there was one.”
“Oh, yes! That is, I was told there was one upriver, but the property is large, of course, and I have not seen everything yet. Perhaps it will be a simple matter of a repair. But no matter, Miss Elizabeth, whatever it is, I shall see it attended immediately.”
Kitty chimed in, “Mr Wickham, might we come along on your ride? We could have a picnic by the river!”
Elizabeth sighed, “Kitty, Mr Wickham has important matters to attend to. We should not impose.”
Mr Wickham smiled kindly at Kitty. “Perhaps next spring, Miss Kitty. When the weather improves, I would be delighted to host a picnic for all my neighbours.”
“That is most agreeable to hear, Mr Wickham. I know it will set many neighbours at ease for their crops next year,” Elizabeth said.
“But of course. What is the duty of a landlord but to tend to his land?”
Elizabeth smiled. “It seems you quite grasp the undertaking, sir.”
