Chapter 14

Elizabeth wrote her aunt a long letter detailing every feature of Pemberley that she had seen. She had not really had a chance to see the grounds, except for when the carriage drove through them, but she wished she would have a chance in the future to see more of them. Would she have a chance? She detailed her thoughts and wishes to her aunt, knowing that Mrs. Gardiner would have good advice to impart.

Elizabeth was not certain if Mr. Darcy would propose, but she knew she would accept him if he did. He was a lovely, lonely man, whose joy shone out of his eyes and whose love came forward when he played with his daughter. Elizabeth had come across them the other day in the nursery having a tea party. Mr. Darcy had been seated on a miniature chair next to his daughter, surrounded by dolls and stuffed animals, drinking out of a tiny pink tea cup. Elizabeth had laughed to see it, but she had also felt her heart melt.

The night they had returned from Pemberley, Lady Sedley had come to her room to talk with her. Elizabeth and Jane had been speaking about the day, and Lady Sedley asked her about Mr. Darcy's intentions.

"Do you two have an understanding, Elizabeth?" she asked.

Elizabeth had assured her they did not.

"He has not spoken to you of his intentions?"

"No," Elizabeth said.

Lady Sedley had looked thoughtful. "I think he may be in love with you, my dear. Why else would he invite us to Pemberley, and only us? He wanted you to see it. And I have noticed all the little attentions he has paid you since the house party started."

"You think he loves me?" Elizabeth had asked, her heart beating a little faster.

"If he does not, it would only take a little effort on your part to make him so."

Elizabeth had no response to that. She did not want to trick Mr. Darcy, or any man, into loving her. His feelings had to be genuine, and of his own making.

Her reverie was interrupted when she heard Melody's voice. Elizabeth had been sitting off in a corner of the front lawn beside the lake, so she could have good light for drawing. The little girl ran toward her, and Elizabeth saw that she was crying.

"Melody, what is wrong? What are you doing out here by yourself?" She wondered where the other children were. It was not uncommon for them to come outside to play during the day. But Elizabeth did not see any of the others.

"Oh, Miss Lizzy, it is Patches!"

"Patches? Where is she?"

"I brought her outside. I thought we could have fun together. But she got away from me, and she ran up a tree, and now I cannot get her down!"

Elizabeth knew that the cat was not supposed to be outside. Darcy had relegated it either to the house or the stables. But Melody had clearly disobeyed and was now paying the price.

"Where is the tree?" asked Elizabeth.

"It is over the water, Miss Lizzy. Patches is going to fall into the lake and drown!" She began to wail.

"Calm down, Melody. I will get her down."

"You will?" Melody's tear-stained eyes looked up at her.

"Yes, I was a champion tree climber when I was your age! Show me where she is."

Melody led her around the lake to the far side. Patches had clearly run far, Elizabeth thought. Darcy would certainly have a word with his daughter when he found out about all of this. Melody pointed up into the branches, and Elizabeth could see a little white fluff of fur amid the green and brown branches.

"Stay here, Melody. I will bring her down," said Elizabeth, and began to climb.

Darcy and Lord Dunmore were just coming back from seeing to a tenant issue when they saw Melody dancing up and down beneath a tree, looking up into the branches. When she saw them approaching, she ran toward them, waving her arms.

"No! Go back! Go back!" she cried.

"She's gotten into some kind of mischief," said Darcy to his brother-in-law. "What is going on, Melody?" he asked her, descending from his horse.

Melody at once burst into tears. "Papa, I disobeyed. I brought Patches outside because I thought we would have so much fun together."

Darcy was about to scold her, but he realized there was more. "Where is Patches now?"

"Oh, Papa, she ran up the tree and would not come down. But do not worry, Miss Lizzy has gone up to get her."

Darcy's heart froze in his chest for a moment. Elizabeth climb up a tree, in skirts? She could so easily fall down and hurt herself, maybe break a bone or her neck.

"What have I told you about that cat?" said Darcy sternly, even as he got closer to the waterline and the tree, where he could see Elizabeth's white skirts amid the leaves. "You will never bring Patches on a trip again. You have disobeyed too many times. You have put Miss Elizabeth in danger."

Before Melody could reply, Darcy had reached the foot of the tree. "Miss Elizabeth? Are you all right?"

"Mr. Darcy!" she called. "Yes, I am all right. I am on the right branch but Patches does not seem to want to be rescued. She has moved to the outside edge of the branch. It will not hold my weight."

Darcy closed his eyes in dread. "Then come back down, Miss Elizabeth. It is only a cat. It is not worth your safety."

Melody burst into fresh wails. "No! You cannot leave Patches!"

"Quiet, Melody," Darcy snapped. Then he turned toward the tree again. "Stay where you are, Miss Elizabeth. I will climb up and help you down."

Lord Dunmore held Melody back while Darcy took off his coat and began to climb. He hadn't been certain his old bones would be able to handle it, but he had no trouble scaling the branches. He got up to a point where he was at a branch just under Elizabeth's.

"Let me help you down, Miss Elizabeth," he said.

"I believe I can get down on my own," she said in a matter-of-fact voice, "but I will need you to take Patches. I will not be able to carry her."

"You got ahold of her?"

"I can reach her from here, yes."

Darcy could see the delicious expanse of Elizabeth's slender legs, but was too distracted by worry for her to take pleasure in the sight. A moment later a white furball was in his hands, and he tucked the cat into his shirt so he could climb down. A moment later he heard a crack and a shriek that was cut off by a splash of water.

Darcy practically jumped down to the grass. The cat was clawing his skin from inside his shirt, but he grabbed it anyway and thrust it toward Dunmore. He did not know if Elizabeth could swim, but even if she could, her skirts would surely drag her down. He dove into the water.

Elizabeth was struggling to keep her head above the water, but kept going under. Darcy caught a hold of her and at once she stopped struggling, as if she knew she was safe in his arms. He swam both of them to the shore, and dragged her onto the grass.

She was coughing and heaving water out of her lungs. She lay face down on the grass, recovering, while Dunmore came forward.

"Are you all right, Miss Elizabeth?" he asked.

She was still coughing up water, but was able to nod.

Melody stood behind her uncle, tears in her eyes, holding her troublesome feline. "I am sorry, Miss Lizzy!" she cried. "It was very wrong of me to disobey. It will be quite all right if you spank me, Papa!"

"That is very generous of you, Melody," said Darcy dryly. "But now I must get Miss Elizabeth to the house. You will ride up with your Uncle Malcolm."

Elizabeth had recovered enough to be able to sit up. "Can you stand, Miss Elizabeth?" he asked, holding a hand out for her.

She took it and tried to stand, but swayed once she was on her feet. Darcy caught her in his arms and picked her up. "You will come up on the horse with me," he said. This time he could not help noticing the way her clothes stuck to her body so that he could see every single curve and line of her lithe form. He glanced quickly at Dunmore, but the earl was pointedly looking away.

Darcy set her up on his horse and then mounted to sit right behind her so he could hold onto her and the reins at the same time. It was a sweet torture to have her in his arms. He had wanted it for so long, but not under these circumstances. She was wet, and cold. She might perhaps catch a chill.

The two gentlemen set off toward the manor, and there was a big to-do when they arrived, with both Darcy and Elizabeth soaking wet. Lord Dunmore explained the circumstances while Georgiana led Darcy, still carrying Elizabeth, to her chamber. Jane was called, and soon both ladies were taking care of the patient while Darcy was pushed from the room. Before he could leave, however, Elizabeth called to him in a raspy voice. "Thank you, Mr. Darcy."

He nodded and then the door was shut behind him.

Elizabeth had never been so frightened as when she struggled in the water. She had thought for a minute that she was going to drown. She had never learned to swim, and her skirts were pulling her under. She had realized that moving so far to the outside of the branch might cause it to break, but it was the only way to retrieve Patches. Fortunately she had gotten the cat to Mr. Darcy before the branch broke. She hoped Melody was all right.

Jane and Lady Dunmore both fussed over her, and helped her change out of her sopping wet clothes. Lady Dunmore ordered a hot bath, and as Elizabeth sat in the steaming water, warming up, she thought back to that moment when Mr. Darcy had carried her. She had not had the presence of mind to notice at the time, but now when she thought back on it, she could remember the strong muscles of his arms and chest as he cradled her close to him. She flushed to remember it. She had been able to see every carven muscle through his drenched shirt. Who knew a forty-year-old man could have a body like that? She felt embarrassed for having such wanton thoughts, but she could not help herself. Was it natural for gentlewomen to feel such things? She felt warm all over when she remembered it.

Jane came back and helped her into a nightgown. Then Lady Dunmore entered again. "I insist you stay in bed the rest of the day, Miss Elizabeth," she said kindly. "I am afraid you still might catch a chill. I have had the servants bring up some hot bricks for your bed. The lake water is very cold."

"Lady Dunmore," Elizabeth rasped. "I left some of my drawings and pencils on the front lawn. Perhaps you could send a servant for them?"

"Of course, my dear. At once." Lady Dunmore said, and went to give instructions to the servants.

"Now you must sleep, Lizzy," said Jane. "I am quite worried for you. What were you thinking, climbing up in the tree like that?"

"You know me, Jane. I never could stay out of trouble," said Elizabeth with a teasing smile.

Jane let out a little laugh. "Well, you must be sure to be better by tomorrow. Lady Dunmore has a great ball planned for the end of the house party. You do not want to miss it."

No, indeed, thought Elizabeth, but she was already drifting off to sleep.