Chapter 14
Will swung Anna up in to her arms and held her close. He pulled her bonnet down further and flipped one of her braids in front of her shoulder. "Are you ready to go Anna? Do you know where your Aunt Beth is?"
Anna shook her head and reached up to grab his hat. He grabbed her hand and placed a small kiss to the back. "You are wearing your bonnet already Anna. I need my hat. Let's go and find your Aunt." Walking out of the kitchen, he made his way to their bedroom.
Leaning on the doorframe, he found Elizabeth tying her bonnet strings. "Are you ready to go Beth? If we don't get going in the next five minutes, we are going to be late for the stage."
She smiled over her shoulder, before finishing tying her bonnet. "I am ready now." Making her way over to him, she reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek.
Elizabeth followed him out to their wagon and waited for him to set Anna on her feet. He gave her a smile, before putting his hands on her waist, and lifting her up. Once he saw that she was settled, Will reached down, and handed her Anna. He gave Scout a pat on the head, walked around to the other side of the wagon, and grabbed the reins.
Climbing in to the wagon, he clucked to the horses. He turned them on to the trail, leading to town, and glanced to his side. Elizabeth's eyes were bright and she was talking to Anna. "Are you excited to see Jane?"
"I can't believe she is finally going to be here. It seems I have been waiting for weeks for her to be here." She said and returned his gaze.
He turned back ahead to watch the horses for a moment and chuckled at her remark. "Beth, it has been two weeks since you sent the letter to your sister. I am sure she is just as excited as you are right now."
Elizabeth pictured Jane's face and smiled. "I can't wait to introduce her to Mrs. Reynolds and show her around the farm. Can we go for a picnic on Sunday?"
"That sounds like a great idea. I can also invite Bingley if you like."
"Yes please invite him. I'm sure he would enjoy having a decent meal cooked for him that he didn't cook himself." She said and adjusted Anna's bonnet.
He clucked to the horses and they picked up their pace. "I will ask him tomorrow then at church and we can go on the picnic afterwards." The horses turned on the fork in the road that led to town.
She turned to stare ahead and listened to the plodding of the horses hooves. The trees leaves were gently blowing in the wind and the birds were chirping. Breathing in the fresh air, Elizabeth felt at peace. She had grown up in a town and had never spent much time away from it, but out here she felt free.
Risking a glance up at her husband, she found him staring ahead, but a small smile graced his lips. She was a bit sad that their quiet time together was coming to an end, but she was also excited that Jane was coming to visit for a few weeks. Turning back ahead, she saw the outline of Pemberly.
Putting her arm lightly around Anna's waist and watched as the post office came in to view. "Can we stop at the mercantile before the stage arrives?"
"What do you need there?" he asked and glanced at her.
"I need to pick up some more sugar and flour. You used the rest when you and Anna made cookies the other day. I thought I told you to stay out of my kitchen." Elizabeth glared up at him and he gave her a guilty little smile.
"I wanted to make you some cookies and you haven't made any in a while."
Her glare vanished and she thought back to that day. She had decided to go on a walk and had left Will and Anna in the house together. When she had left, they were playing on the floor with Scout. Elizabeth had only been gone for about half an hour, when she decided to head back to the house. Walking in the door, she found Anna, Scout, and her husband covered in flour. Elizabeth had placed her hands on her hips and glared at him, complaining that he had made her kitchen a mess. He had promised to clean it all up and he did. She had walked across the floor, took a handful of flour of the floor, and flung it at his face. His eyes widened in shock, before he grabbed her, and spun her around.
"Beth, are you listening to me."
She turned her eyes to him and found him frowning at her. "Sorry, I was thinking about something. What were you saying?"
He gestured in front of him. "I was saying we are here and the stage will be here soon. If you still want to go to the mercantile, I would suggest going right now." Jumping down from the wagon, he tied the horses to the hitching rail, and walked around to her side.
Reaching up, he placed his hands on her waist, and lifted him down. She set her hands on his shoulders to steady herself and gazed up at him when her feet touched the ground. "We will be waiting for you when you get back." Will said and placed a kiss on her cheek.
Elizabeth grabbed her reticule, gave him one last glance, and walked along the boardwalk to the mercantile. As she walked along, she looked at all the people around her. Most of them were coming in and out of the various shops. Soon she found herself standing in front of the mercantile. Opening the door, Elizabeth heard the familiar ring of the bell above the door.
Striding toward one of the aisles, she grabbed the sugar and flour she had originally come for. Taking her purchases up to the counter, her eyes caught the sight of taffy. Smiling, she bought a few pieces and handed the store clerk the correct amount of change.
Carrying the bundles outside, Elizabeth shaded her eyes against the bright sunlight, and turned to the left. Her boots thudded against the boardwalk as she caught sight of Will and Anna patiently waiting for her. "I have my purchases. I also have something else for you two."
Handing the sack of sugar and flour to Will, she hid the other smaller bag behind her back. He set the sacks in the back of the wagon and turned back to her. Seeing a hand behind her back, he raised a brow. "What are you hiding from us?"
She took the bag out from behind her back and held it in front of him. Opening it, she handed one piece to Anna and grabbed another one out. Tearing it in half, she handed one half to Will. He took and popped it in his mouth. Savoring the sweet taste, he swallowed the taffy, and gave her a smile. "Thank you for buying the taffy. I will put the rest in the wagon." Will reached out and grabbed the paper bag from her, setting it under the wagon seat.
Elizabeth reached out for Anna and set her on her hip. Looking down, she found the little girl had sticky fingers. Sighing she looked back up at Will. "Do you have the canteen under the wagon seat?"
He nodded, grabbed the canteen and a small rag. Putting some water on the rag, he reached out, and washed Anna's hands. After they were clean, he put the items back in the wagon, and gave the little girl a smile. "I don't think you should have any more taffy. I don't want you to get our guest all sticky." Will reached out and took Anna from his wife.
Hearing the sound of pounding hooves, he glanced up, and saw the stagecoach coming towards them. He grabbed Elizabeth's hand and pulled her up the post office front steps. Dust swirled around them as the stage came to a stop and the driver held the horses still.
Elizabeth waited for the dust to clear before turning her attention to the door of the stage. She couldn't see her sister and waited impatiently as the driver disembarked. He opened the door for the passengers and held out his hand.
A tall blonde haired young woman was the first to step off and Elizabeth had to restrain herself from running down the steps and throwing her arms around her sister. When her sister looked up, Elizabeth grabbed her skirts, and ran down the steps. Throwing her arms around her older sister, she said, "Jane, I can't believe you are here."
Jane wrapped her arms around her sister for a moment, before pulling back and holding her at arm's length. "Elizabeth, it is so good to see you. How have you been?"
"I am well, Jane. We have so much to talk about and I also have so much to show you." She glanced over her shoulder and motioned for Will to come forward. "Jane, I would like to introduce you to my husband, Will Darcy. Will this is my sister Jane."
He held out his hand and shook her smaller one. "It is a pleasure to finally meet Beth's older sister. She has told me a lot about you." He gazed down at Anna before looking back up at her, "And this little girl is Anna."
Jane raised a brow at the name Will called Elizabeth and turned to look at her. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and gave her sister a small smile. Turning to her husband, she said, "I think we should gather Jane's luggage and get it loaded in to the wagon. I will take Anna, so you can grab her trunk."
Will handed Anna over and walked over to grab the luggage. Elizabeth watched him for a moment before leading her sister over to the wagon. "How was the trip Jane? I hope it wasn't too rough."
"The train ride was fine, but I could have done without sitting in the stagecoach for so long. How did you survive the trip?"
"I was tired after I arrived in Pemberly and I wished I would never ride on the stage for a long time." She saw her husband walking back over with the trunk and watched him place it in the back. He walked over to them.
"Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, we are." She said and handed him Anna. He set the little girl in the back of the wagon, before lifting Jane and helping her in to the wagon bed. Grabbing a blanket from under the seat, he handed it to her for her to spread out underneath her. Once she was settled, Will turned to his wife, and lifted her up in to the wagon.
Striding around to the other side, he grabbed the horse's reins, and climbed in to the wagon. Clucking to the horses, he turned them away from the post office, and drove them out of town.
"Jane how is Mama and Papa? Are they still angry and upset that I left to come out here?" Elizabeth asked as she turned in her seat to talk to her sister. She felt a hand on her knee and glanced up to see Will looking at her. She gave him a brief smile, to assure him she was fine.
"Mama is still upset. She is afraid she will never see you again. Papa understands why you chose to travel out here and leave everything behind. He was the first one to agree with me coming to see you."
Her eyes opened in shock at Jane's words. "I thought Papa would have forbid you from coming out here. I didn't think Mama would be against it. Doesn't she want you to meet a young man and marry?" she said teasingly.
Jane's smile dropped and Elizabeth saw the brightness dim from her blue eyes. Oh, Jane what happened? She wanted to ask her sister, but decided to wait until they were alone. Changing the subject, she asked, "How is Lydia?" her younger sister could be a handful at times and she wanted to see if she was changing.
"I am afraid she is still making trouble for our parents. Can we talk about everything when we get to your homestead? I would like to look out at the land and see the place you are now calling home."
Elizabeth saw the pleading look in her sister's eyes and gave her a small smile. "Of course." Turning back around, she stared ahead. Will grabbed her hand from where it rested on the wagon seat and gave it a squeeze.