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Caroline huffed and strolled to the desk. And to think, my own brother has been part and parcel of this whole affair, aiding and abetting the very woman he knows I despised at first sight!

Quite satisfied with her plan, Caroline sat back down and took out pen and paper. She would write to Sarah Beeson immediately. Hopefully she could stay with her in London until the Hursts returned for the latter part of the summer, and if not, she would try Suzanna Carlson. Surely, between the two, she could be in London shortly.

In Town, I shall be able to spread the news of Eliza’s shameful behaviour.

Chapter 23

Pemberley

After seeing the destroyed animals and listening to Mr. Campbell’s warning about the wolf, William had mandated that all the men at Pemberley carry arms. Likewise, he stationed guards in various sites around the grounds with the sole responsibility of watching for signs of the creature. Though he kept a pistol in the pouch on his saddle, he tried to set an example by carrying his rifle whenever he rode out. Despite the fact that it was more cumbersome, it was also much more accurate, and as he left the house that morning, he was thankful to have such a weapon. He prayed that upon completion of this mission, all his servants would be able to settle back into their customary duties.

Hesitating just before quitting the terrace, he looked towards the east—purple skies were fading and the line of trees was black against the glow of the rising sun. Pemberley in the morning never failed to inspire. Then he did something he had done seldom since his return from Ireland, he paused a moment to truly take in the beauty of his home—the bucolic scene brought to mind the landscape his father had commissioned and which now resided on the wall of his study. Suddenly an unbidden smile broke across his face at the realisation that neither the beauty of the day nor his property was the cause of his contentment.

During the last few weeks, he had felt the stirrings of something he had given up hope of ever experiencing again—unadulterated joy. The presence of Elizabeth in his home was intoxicating, but he scarcely allowed himself to dwell on it. She would dine with him, and occasionally he could talk her into staying in the library when she came searching for a book. Nonetheless, she was more apt to accept his company if Georgiana was there.

Her daily walks around the lake were undertaken alone or with Mrs. Drury, though neither knew that two armed servants, just out of sight, accompanied every outing. Though he had broached the subject of showing her the grounds himself on one occasion, she had politely refused. The excuse she had given was quickly forgotten, though not the wound to his heart at her refusal. It was clearly evident that she wanted to keep a certain distance between them, and as much as he ached to be near her, he tried to respect her wishes.

By then William had walked as far as the stables and the sight of his men, mounted and waiting, quickly dispelled the warm feelings that had spread through him at the thought of Elizabeth. Of necessity, he began to focus on the task at hand—helping to rid the area of the wolf. When he had warned his neighbours about the animal earlier, he had pledged his support in pursuit of the creature, should they decided to ban together to dispatch it.

The number of livestock killed at Pemberley had dwindled in the week after the discovery of the cow and calf and then stopped altogether. The week after that, the killings began at the estate north of Pemberley and days later, at the estate north of that. Mr. Campbell was of the opinion that the rogue was migrating back to its natural habitat in Scotland. When a request came from his neighbours in the northernmost section of Derbyshire to join a hunting party, William consented. Deciding that he, along with Mr. Campbell and every man at Pemberley competent with a weapon, would join the quest to scour the countryside, he hoped that the sheer number involved would assure success.

After determining that everyone was armed and ready, William mounted Onyx and steered him towards the path that led to the front driveway and the others followed. Now that he was on his way, he could not keep his thoughts from drifting to his sister’s visit that day. It was disappointing to know that as long as Georgiana was there, he could have spent the day with Elizabeth. She never objected to his company when his sister was a member of their party. Sighing heavily, he kicked Onyx into a canter.

The sooner we get started, the sooner I shall return.

The Conservatory

“I would love to have a picnic,” Elizabeth proclaimed, forcing a smile as she rolled the ball to Millie. She and Georgiana had been playing with the child in the conservatory all morning, but she so longed to be out of doors. Especially, since it was a warm, gloriously sunny day.

If she were honest, she had to admit feeling gloomy since Fitzwilliam had left early that morning to take part in the hunt for the beast that had been terrorising the county. Watching him meet the others from the vantage point of her balcony, she had taken pains not to be seen observing him. At one point in his walk to the stables, he had paused and turned to stare in the direction of her balcony, and it had necessitated a quick step into the shadows lingering near the walls.

Nevertheless, after he mounted his horse and departed, a deep insecurity had engulfed her. Though he might spend the day in his study or in the library, while she made sure to be elsewhere in the house, the knowledge that they were under the same roof always gave her peace. And, peace was something she had enjoyed little of since her father’s passing.

“I realise your brother is not here to ask, but do you suppose he would mind terribly? He has insisted we stay close to the house for weeks now.”

A fit of giggles from Georgiana answered Elizabeth’s question. “Mind? I assure you that if he were here for us to ask, he would find some reason to mind. He is very protective.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Why do I feel that you love that about him?”

“I did not at one time,” Georgiana mused soberly, then brightened with a small, mischievous grin. “I am afraid I gave my poor brother cause to worry for many years.”

At Elizabeth’s quizzical brow, she explained. “I was used to doing everything with him, conducting myself almost like a boy instead of a girl—catching frogs, swimming, riding recklessly across the meadows. When the time came that I had to start behaving as a proper young lady ... well, let me just say that I was not happy!”

She shook her head, remembering their arguments. “As my brother, and practically my father as well, he admonished me to act like a lady, lest I get hurt. As I matured, he included protecting me from everything else under the sun, including would-be suitors. I resented him very much. I felt as though I could take care of myself!

“It was not until my eighteenth year that a friend of mine, Miss Garret, mentioned to me how much she would love to have an older brother to protect her—someone like Brother. You see, she too lost both her parents at an early age and had only an elderly aunt to rely upon. If not for the intervention of a caring family friend, she would have been involved in a scandal involving an unscrupulous suitor, and her words certainly made me see my brother in a different light. For once in my life, I realised that he was not trying to be dictatorial, but he was trying to protect me because he loved me.”

She giggled. “So, just remember, when he is domineering or tells you stories about tragedies that happened because someone would not listen, it is only because he cares for you.”

“I have heard some of his tales.”

William’s sister laughed aloud now. “He has lots of them and will, no doubt, use that ploy for the rest of your life to keep you safe.”

Elizabeth’s smile faded, though Georgiana did not notice. Her words about the rest of your life brought home the bittersweet truth that Elizabeth would not be at Pemberley for much longer. Forcing herself not to dwell on it, she grinned, a trace of naughtiness in her eyes.

“So, we should be on our way before this domineering, fierce protector returns and forbids our picnic?”

Georgiana smirked, “Precisely!” Then she wavered. “Perhaps we should not go out of the house until William returns. After all, most of the men are with him, and the wolf has not been destroyed yet.”