“Mr. Darcy, pray allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Hammond. Mrs. Olivia Hammond, this is Mr. Darcy from Derbyshire.”
The young lady barely tilted her head toward Darcy before returning her full attention to Richard.
What was she about?Miss Elizabeth never greeted him with that level of warmth. In fact, had she ever truly welcomed him? At all? The rainfall must have washed his memory clean, for surely Miss Elizabeth wantedhim,or did she? Most ladies would do anything for his wealth and the Darcy name. If so, why was she paying particular attention to his cousin?
Richard cleared his throat, reminding Darcy of the other lady in the room.
“My pleasure,” Darcy bowed. “As I mentioned, this is my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, recently returned from the front in southern Spain and Portugal. He is the second son of Lord and Lady Matlock.”
“We are pleased to make your acquaintance, Colonel.”
As he made a correct bow, Richard glanced over Mrs. Hammond before resting on Miss Elizabeth. Darcy was unsurprised by his cousin’s reaction. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat of the stove or from making a new acquaintance; Darcy did not know which. Her eyes, her most notable feature, were brilliant, even in the shadows. He simply could not look away.
Darcy’s heart threatened to stop when Miss Elizabeth returned Richard’s smile. Never in their short acquaintance had she smiled like that at him.
He barely kept from snarling.
“If you do not mind pulling two chairs closer, we might be seated to enjoy the heat while we learn more about you.” Mrs. Hammond studied them closely while Miss Elizabeth seemed slightly more circumspect.
Once they were settled, Mrs. Hammond barely looked at Darcy. To Richard, she said, “Sir, my late husband was a sea captain. I was fortunate enough to sail with him for manyyears. We were often in Spanish and Portuguese ports where we devoured the finest fruits and wine, and I purchased lovely linen and lace pieces, many of which I still have.”
He smiled. “While I was in Almeida, there was a woman whose tables were covered with exquisitely embroidered cloth. Had she given as much attention to the food she prepared as to the cloth she weaved, I would have married her on the spot despite her being older than my father. I arrived with Wellesley in 1808. Perhaps we were in close proximity at one time or another.”
“I do not believe so since my husband sailed his final journey almost forty-two years ago. None of you would have been born.”
“We would not.” Richard crossed his legs, sipping the tea Miss Elizabeth poured.
Darcy was surprised and inordinately pleased when he sampled his tea, which was to his exact taste—black with a hint of sugar.
Miss Elizabeth asked, “You were at Roliça and Vimeiro then?”
Richard rubbed the small scar on his temple. “You know of those battles, Miss Elizabeth?”
She placed her teacup to the side. “How can I not when Napoleon’s aggression threatens England both militarily and economically? The cost of war is great, as you know, affecting every citizen, male or female. I wish for peace, Colonel Fitzwilliam, so that no one suffers the hardship of a nation being in conflict. Injustice stirs deep within me, as it does all thinking individuals, I suppose.”
“Tell me, do you believe that raising arms against another is the means to peace?” he asked with a glint in his eye.
“I cannot see that it has ever been truly successful in the past, nor do I suspect it will be in the future. However, as I utter those strong words, I readily admit that I am not a military strategist.I am a woman who frets for those who courageously put their futures on the line, so my small life in Hertfordshire remains unchallenged.”
Richard sat forward in his chair. “I thank you for your concern and your honesty. While I will not lie to you and say that war is good, I will confess that there were some parts that I will recall in the years to come that will bring a smile to my heart. For example, in a village where my regiment was stationed, a small boy with both front teeth missing had a massive dog he named after Lieutenant-General Wellesley. Except, the lad could not say Lieutenant or Wellesley. He called that dog General. Well, sure as can be, on the thirty-first of July of this year, the little fellow’s teeth were in, and he was able to say the words correctly when Lord Wellington officially achieved the very rank that lad called him for almost a year.”
The ladies laughed. Then, Miss Elizabeth said, “What a remarkably prophetic coincidence. Was it the boy or the dog who inspired such confidence?”
Richard looked pleased. “It was the boy since the dog was little more than a lunkhead. By the time we left the area, the lad firmly attached himself to General Wellesley. The dog was loyal to anyone who shared a scrap of rations. Had the French seen the mutt first, he would have been calledgénéral.”
Richard rarely spoke about his time on the continent, especially around ladies. When he shared details with him, Darcy was appalled at the terrors his cousin faced and awed by the bravery with which he faced them.
The wind blasted the side of the house, rattling the slate roofing. As attractive as he found Miss Elizabeth and enjoyed spending time in her company, the weather was worrisome. His host at Netherfield Park, Charles Bingley, was new to estate management. He might not know, as Mrs. Hammond did, to fasten the shutters, bank the fires, and gather foodstuffs in casethe household was confined for a lengthy period. Darcy and Richard needed to return to Netherfield Park as soon as was safely possible. But first, he would see Miss Elizabeth home. Another powerful gust assured him that it was unwise to depart.
CHAPTER 3
Leaning back in his chair, he found relief in the carefully placed elegant, though worn, pieces of furniture and the small touches that made Mrs. Hammond’s house a home. A painting of an ocean sunset graced the wall above the fireplace. Had she painted it?
Darcy asked, “In your years at sea, did you ever face rough winds, Mrs. Hammond?”
“Are you the sort who thrills with tales of danger and daring, Mr. Darcy? I already know that Miss Lizzy never tires of hearing of my adventures.” With a sly grin, she set her cup aside, then said, “My first summer as Mrs. Hammond was spent aboard theConcord,a merchant ship built for speed. We were four days out from the West Indies when the blue sky darkened by rapidly encroaching clouds. Despite the sun immediately above, a sheet of rain hit us as wind gusts snapped the sails, sending the sailors up the masts to tie them off. Mere moments later, a swirling air current sent the vessel skipping over the crests of waves, eventually spinning us in full circles and then tilting us from one side to the other as the height of the waves grew.
“We were blown so far off course into the Atlantic that we neared the Sargasso Sea. As scary as the wind was, it wasthe sound that inspired real fright. I had no idea that the air violently moving through the atmosphere could be so loud. By the time we were safely in port, not one member of the crew had slept for three days. Our ship was fortunate to make it to the docks in Nassau without the loss of a single life. Captain Hammond was as skilled a sea captain as James Cook. If he had not been, I would be unable to tell my account.”
