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A quick smile.

“Four older brothers, none of whom appeared capable of remaining on their horse for more than 10 minutes. I assisted my poor mother in patching them up. Once two of them even managed to fall off at the same time. One ignored my mother’s instructions, those that I have just outlined for you, the other dutifully put himself through the pain. He was back on his horse nearly four full days before his older brother.”

Elizabeth matched Miss Smith’s smile. As one of five sisters she had been aware of these kinds of petty arguments. These moments of pleasant reminisce were fleeting now, that life was gone, her sisters gone forever. The smile faded.

“I am not sure about riding a horse but I will settle for being able to safely negotiate the stairs.”

It was a long, painful two days and on the third morning Elizabeth still ached, but she had better flexibility in, and control over, her limbs. She made it down to the breakfast room.

“Good morning my Lord.”

“Stop, let us agree to forego curtseying. You are my guest.”

He stopped and she watched as his lips moved and he mumbled to himself.

“I would be pleased if you just called me Baron. Everything else is far too cumbersome. Can we agree? No curtseying and Baron?”

For the first time in nearly six months a trace of the old happy Elizabeth Bennet emerged. Holding on to the back of a chair for stability, she curtseyed and announcing.

“Of course, My Lord.”

Her impish smile made the Baron laugh. Elizabeth settled onto a chair and more seriously spoke.

“Thank you, Baron. You are right, it will be less verbally cumbersome.”

They both turned their attention to the food in front of them and so it was a few minutes before the conversation resumed. Elizabeth had not realised how hungry she had been and had eaten well. She was now savouring a cup of coffee, a rare treat in her prior life.

“How are you feeling Miss Elizabeth?”

There had been no discussion about her name, or the use of her surname. It was a matter that would be dealt with later.

“Like I have repeatedly fallen off a horse.”

The Baron’s look of confusion was replaced with a smile as Elizabeth shared Miss Smith’s story.

“Are there areas of particular pain?”

She pointed to her right shoulder, just in from the joint, and her left hip.

“Miss Smith told me that Dr. Dumfries believes that my shoulder was hit by your head, thus the deep bruise there, and my hip bore the brunt of the fall onto the pavement.”

The Baron winced.

“You have apologised several times already. And we both know the whole incident was nothing more than an accident. There are no jagged pains in any of my limbs or joints. Dr. Dumfries was sure I had broken no bones, and the last two days with Miss Smith have confirmed that diagnosis. On the other hand, if you had collided with my collar bone.”

Elizabeth touched the area between her neck and shoulder, just above where he had impacted her.

“Then it is likely that the bone would have broken. It is one of many of the smaller and more delicate bones in the body. And it is the same with my ribs. None appear to be cracked or broken and there are no pains when I breathe.”

Peter Napier saw that Elizabeth occasionally winced but she was moving forward, not wallowing in the pain looking for pity.

--

It set the tone for the remainder of that first week. They ate breakfast and dinner together, chaperoned at first by Miss Smith and then by a Mrs. Williams. She replaced Miss Smith on the fourth day, allowing that lady to return to her job with Dr. Dumfries.

On the Monday morning the Baron invited Elizabeth into the drawing room again. Mrs. Williams was despatched to the far end, a separate pot of fresh tea provided.

“The last week has been necessary, letting you both physically heal as well as mentally recover. But we both know that it was embarrassing yesterday morning. I do not know if you wanted to accompany me to church, and I could tell you were unsure about asking. I was not the most attentive of congregants as I thought about the matter. I do not say this to embarrass you, or me, but even I was not sure.”