John Lucas paid me a call yesterday. He brought me some of the fall daisies from his mother’s flower bed and asked if he could walk home with me after church. I tried to remember Jane’s advice to smile and be gracious, and Lizzy’s cautions against being too suspicious, so I did accept. Still, I cannot help but wonder if he only means to mock me before the other girls in town. I hope Lizzy will forgive me if I use her sturdiest boots so I may easily walk away from him if the need arises.
Aunt Gardiner sends her love. The children have grown an inch since you left, and they keep asking after both of you. I expect Billy is keeping well and is finally living his dream of seeing London. Try not to lose him, will you? Not that I am particularly eager to have him back, but I can only imagine how he will be received among people of true sophistication. Don’t let them humiliate him too much… but a little would be appropriate. I fancy he will never recover from the experience, and we shall spend the next twenty years hearing about the majesties of London. On second thought, perhaps you ought to try to leave him there.
Please write again when you have more news of the colonel. I am glad to hear that his cousin was willing to take you in, and I hope when we next hear from you that you will be able to report that all is well.
Love,
Mary
Jane gave the letter back to Elizabeth, and both fell to silent contemplation of the fields. They were in their shared sitting room, a crackling fire at their backs and hot tea on the table between them as they gazed out the windows. Mist had rolled in during the afternoon, and the sun was sinking low over the damp meadows. They ought to be changing for dinner, but the servant carrying the letter forwarded from Mr Darcy’s London house had brought more than their first word from home. He had also delivered a melancholy that fell over the sisters like the dark of a moonless night.
“She still writes as if I will return,” Elizabeth said to the window. “Poor, stubborn Mary!”
Jane did not answer for some minutes, but then she mused, “I miss them all.”
“You say that almost as if you feel guilty for not missing themenough.”
Jane, ever the one to seek the happier side of any misfortune or displeasing word, did not rush to explain herself for once. Elizabeth turned more fully towards her sister in curiosity and waited as a shadowy assortment of feelings danced over her features.
“I suppose I do feel guilty,” she said at last. “Don’t you? We are living in the finest of luxury while our poor father slaves in sun and rain over a hot forge or a half-gentled horse. And dear Mama, with all her worries! Whatever else you may say of her, she has ever been affectionate.”
“She has,” Elizabeth agreed. “But since you are submitting objects for our pity, what of our uncle, who must have borne all manner of trial and expense in sending us safely off? What of Mary, who remains the last female of any sense and decorum in the house?”
“And yet we eat mutton and oranges with bone china and polished silver and have a girl to dress us and style our hair. And I cannot recall the last time I stoked a fire or scrubbed the laundry! Yes, Lizzy, I confess that these few weeks have already spoilt me. I am ashamed to think how little their troubles cross my mind.”
“Jane, I know that for an untruth, for we have not had a scone or seen a beautiful sunrise that you have not wished to share it with our dear folk at home. I think you merely like it here more than you expected to.”
“I never thought I would stay here so long,” Jane admitted. “I thought once you found the colonel’s family, Billy and I would be on a ship for home. But because I have been permitted to stay…” She trailed off, the tip of one finger grazing thoughtfully at her lip as she studied the horizon.
Elizabeth waited a long while, but Jane never finished her thought. The shadows softened outside, and the only sound in their chamber was the popping of applewood on the grate. At last, Elizabeth rose to go dress for the evening meal, but a dark movement out the window caught her eye. She pressed against the glass and felt Jane coming to stand beside her.
“Is someone out walking in the trees so late in the day?” Jane asked. “Oh, it is just one of the groundsmen.”
“I saw a woman’s skirt.” Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and wiped the steam from her breath away from the window with the back of her sleeve. “It is Miss Darcy. I think it is, anyway.”
“Miss Darcy! Why would she be out there at this time of evening?”
“I don’t know, but I have seen her out walking before. She seems to go off alone when everyone thinks she is elsewhere.”
“Lizzy, be careful. You mustn’t say anything against Mr Darcy’s sister while we are their guests.”
“That is why I haven’t said anything before, but I have seen her several times. I cannot think what she might be doing out there.”
“Well,” Jane decided, tugging at Elizabeth’s elbow, “it is not our business, is it? Come, Lizzy, don’t cause any trouble. We have enough of our own.”
Elizabeth hummed her agreement as Jane dragged her away but kept looking back over her shoulder at the dark gown that dashed now from the trees to the back of the house.
Chapter 11
Wyoming
April 1900
“Jane,dear,youlookpositively lovely. You will be the most popular girl in town tonight!”
Elizabeth tucked the last curl up into her sister’s hair, then bent down beside her to smile into the mirror. “Perhaps the colonel will ask you to dance.”
Jane puckered her lips and tilted her head. “I do not thinkIwould be the one to interest him, Lizzy. Whenever I see him, he is busy talking to you. Do you like him?”
