Page 91 of The Widower of Pemberley

He had thought she was happy.

He had been happy.

Just like with Mary.

Darcy froze.

As soon as she noticed his presence, Elizabeth immediately sat up straighter. She sniffed back the tears. “I shall…just a minute. I am well. I only require a little time. Sarah knows how to make it look as though I have not cried at all. Do not concern yourself. I can manage. I shall be ready.”

Elizabeth’s lady’s maid sniffed in a way that suggested disapproval.

Emily pointed at Elizabeth. “Mama Lizzy is crying.”

“What is the matter?” Darcy asked with some asperity.

He wanted to hear what her complaint was.

Elizabeth flinched at his tone. “You do not need to be concerned about me. I shall be down in a few minutes. I apologise that I have taken so long. Emily is ill, and she did not wish to part from me. There is nothing the matter. I am only tired.”

She sniffed again but then stood up and went to the basin and splashed her face thoroughly.

The lady’s maid, who looked at Darcy with a definitely disapproving frown—just like Mary’s maid always looked at him—gave Elizabeth a towel and helped wipe her face.

Her gown and face were lovely.

What had he done wrong?

Darcy ached to touch her, but he feared doing so.

Mary had always been angry with him when he touched her when she was upset because of something he had done.

That thought annoyed Darcy. He had married Elizabeth because she would not act like Mary.

“Elizabeth, the tenants are expecting us. We do not want to keep them waiting. It is wrong to treat those beneath us with disrespect. You know that this event is important.”

“I shall be ready in a minute or two,” she replied, looking to be on the verge of tears again. “Sarah, just something simple.”

“I’m sorry,” Emily said. “I will just stay with Rose. But I’ll miss you.”

Elizabeth smiled at the girl. “I shall miss you too.”

Darcy picked up Emily, suddenly guessing what might have happened, even though he still did not understand why Elizabeth had been crying. “You wanted to keep Elizabeth with you?”

“Yessss! Ill. I’m a baby lion. Roar.”

Emily was in fact ill, and she felt hot in his arms, though not with a temperature that concerned him.

“I see,” Darcy replied seriously. “I would like Elizabeth to stay with me if I was ill as well.”

Elizabeth turned to look at him, earning a scowl from her maid at the sudden movement of her head. “Do you mean that?”

Darcy nodded.

She smiled, and she also appeared once again on the verge of tears.

“I’m a baby lion,” Emily said. “I want Lizzy. My nose is wet.”

Darcy took a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to his daughter.