Page 8 of Mr. Darcy’s Diamonds

“Shall Lizzy be allowed to share my bed, Mama? She is much older than Mary, so she should stay with me,” Jane requested.

The adults chuckled.

“We have space in the nursery for Elizabeth to have her own bed tonight, Jane,” Fanny said, turning back to Susannah and missing the frown on Jane’s little face.

“Do not worry, sweet one,” Thomas said to Jane. “You will have some days with your cousin, so you can surely bear to be parted with her at night. And we can move her bed quite close to yours. Will that do?”

The grin that spread across Jane’s face hit Thomas anew with a terror of what he would have to face in a decade or so when the young men began to notice her. She was the most beautiful child he had ever seen, and everyone who saw her agreed.

“Some days?” Fanny asked. “I thought you were leaving in the morning.”

“We hoped to beg your kindness for a bit longer,” Rowe said, toning down his cultured accent enough for Fanny to believe he was merely Ollie the Farmer. Thomas knew most of his work abroad required Rowe to portray a high-born gentleman, usually himself, so he rarely had to deceive, but he did well enough in this situation. “Susie and I have business, and we need to leave Lizzy here for a couple o’weeks, if it ain’t too inconvenient.”

“What sort of business requires Susannah and not her baby?” Fanny demanded. Fanny was generally a welcoming hostess, but she held a particular prejudice against his brother-in-law. Perhaps giving Lord Rowe this low-born identity had not been the best idea, especially now that a child would be affected by it. In truth, they had told Fanny that Susannah had married a farmer, which was true. Lord Rowe was master of a substantial estate and was responsible for its farmland, but Fanny had believed he was barely a step up from a tenant farmer.

“I must visit my uncle to request a loan for farm equipment,” Lord Rowe explained. “He likes Susie, so she will help my case, but he does not like children.”

“Hmm. Very well. Lizzy seems like a bright, happy child,” Fanny said. “I am sure she will get along fine for a few days.”

“Thank you, Fanny,” Susannah said. “We will return for her as soon as we can.”

That evening, Lord Rowe insisted on reading to Lizzy before she went to sleep. While father and daughter performed their bedtime ritual, Fanny worked on the mending in the drawing room, and Thomas and Susannah sat in his study.

“I am worried about you, Susannah,” Thomas said. “This is not a safe time to go anywhere on the continent.”

“I know, but we will be quick. France is a danger to all around it, and we must help in the effort to contain its evil.”

Thomas sighed. “I trust Oliver. You know I do. He is a good man, very sensible. But how much longer will you go on like this? Now that you have Elizabeth, will you settle down?”

“We have discussed it, and I have been home far more of late, but this is an important mission, and he needs my assistance. Oliver has rejected many missions in the past year, and he is making plans to stay home, as well. It is difficult with so much unrest, however.”

“Yes, and your work is admirable—Though I am permitted to know so little, I do know that. Still, I worry for my sister.”

“Thank you for your concern, Thomas.” Susannah looked intently at a landscape of Longbourn estate that their mother had painted. “If anything should happen to us⁠—”

“Susannah, no! You must return.”

“Of course, we must,” she placated him. “However, if anything should happen, you must promise me to care for Elizabeth.”

“Yes, yes, of course. I pray that will not be necessary, but you may rely on me.”

“Thank you, Brother.” Susannah shifted in her seat as if to change her attitude. “We will leave early tomorrow afternoon, so we may spend a bit more time with Elizabeth when she wakes. The overnight mail coach from London is the fastest way to Dover.”

“Why Dover? Could you not be quicker through Harwich?”

“Perhaps, but we wish to shorten our time in the water at this time of year.”

Thomas nodded, and his sister continued.

“Assuming the sea voyage from Dover to Ostend is not too treacherous, the roads are yet open to Antwerp, and all of our contacts are promptly in place, we hope to return within a fortnight.”

“Godspeed,” was all Thomas could say.

Chapter Five

The next afternoon and the next and the next, when Elizabeth cried for her absent parents, Thomas took her on a tour of his estate. As the cold January days passed, he introduced her to each tree and animal and tenant. He told her of the flowers and crops that would come in the spring, after she had left Longbourn. He found himself wanting to show her all the seasons at Longbourn. At the same time, he wanted Susannah and Rowe to be with him to see their daughter’s excitement at each new discovery.

On the fourth day she cried for her mama and papa, she stopped when he approached.