Ever since the Bennets received word that Amelia Gardiner had been safely delivered into the world time seemed to proceed at a snail's pace for Elizabeth. She could think of little else but meeting her new cousin! It was in fact only slightly more than a fortnight between the letter announcing this auspicious event and the morning she set off with the Gouldings, who were to take her to Coventry. Their plans to visit with family there over the holiday saved Mr. Bennet the long journey and allowed Mr. Gardiner to fetch his niece from a closer locale, thus shortening his time away from his brand-new daughter.
The two-day journey to Coventry was surprisingly pleasurable for Elizabeth. Despite her eagerness to meet Amelia and see her aunt and uncle when the time came she was somewhat melancholy about being away from her family and home for the holidays for the first time. In addition, though she had met with them many times over the ten years they had lived in the neighbourhood Elizabeth did not know them well at all. But the Gouldings, an older couple traveling to their only daughter's home for the first time, were lively and kind. Their pup, who travelled in the box with them, was a source of great laughter and fun – though he also slowed their journey considerably.
"We are so sorry, Miss Lizzy," Mrs. Goulding said for the second time. "If I had known how much special treatment she required I might have considered leaving Queen Charlotte home."
They watched the little dog run around a small, enclosed space in back of the inn where they had stopped, for the third time that day. He nipped at bushes, waged his tail furiously and ran across the space as if in a great rush only to plop down and rest for a moment before repeating the process again and again.
"You certainly would not have, my love," her husband declared with a booming laugh. His wife huffed in response but looked from the Queen Charlotte to her husband with fondness even as she shook her head in an attempted rebuke. To which of them Elizabeth did not know.
"I am grateful to have her," Elizabeth told them sincerely. Though the excitable and demanding little thing had slowed their progress her company more than made up for it. As a seeming reward for this support Queen Charlotte chose Lizzy as her companion for the next leg of the journey, snuggling into her side, head on her lap, as soon as they set out.
The second day's travel went slightly more according to schedule with only two extra stops before they reached the inn in Coventry where they were to meet Mr. Gardiner. But an hour later it was not Elizabeth's uncle who walked into the parlour where she and Goudlings were taking tea.
"Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth declared, equal parts surprise and pleasure. She jumped to her feet and moved to greet her friend. He took her hands in his bowing over them as she curtsied. "I am delighted to see you, but please tell me – is there something amiss with my family?"
"No nothing of the sort I assure you," he told her, squeezing her hands. "They are all well. It is only that when the time came to leave your aunt and cousin Mr. Gardiner, though eager to retrieve you, was reluctant to be separated from them for the two days the journey would require. As we had business in the area I hope you do not mind that Fitzwilliam and I eagerly volunteered for the job."
Possibly it was the surprise of seeing Mr. Darcy instead of her uncle, or the exhaustion from the journey or distant barking which Lizzy noted and identified as Queen Charlotte, but she did not register the mention of HER Mr. Darcy. That is why when he appeared a moment later behind his father, shaking the rain off his coat and rung a hand through his wet and dishevelled hair she very nearly swooned. Mrs. Goulding joined them at that moment and perhaps noted her companion's state because she placed an arm around Lizzy's waist as she faced the newcomers.
"Miss Elizabeth, you told us much of your time in Derbyshire, and I distinctly recall mention of the Darcy family, but you did not tell us how handsome the Darcy gentlemen were. Will you introduce us to your friends?" This slightly silly speech, accompanied as it was by a gentle squeeze where Mrs. Goulding's hand rested on Lizzy's hip recalled her enough to perform the office.
"Of course, Mrs. Goulding, may I present Mr. Darcy and his son Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Gentlemen this is Mrs. Goulding a friend and neighbour. Her husband Mr. Goulding is outside with their dog, Queen Charlotte."
While the gentlemen bowed and Mrs. Goulding curtsied Elizabeth had two primary tasks. First, get her breathing under control so she did not faint. She no longer had the support of Mrs. Goulding's arm. Second, to drink in the site of Fitzwilliam Darcy while he and the others were distracted. She had already noted his damp tousled hair, but now she saw it was longer than it had been in the summer, the rebellious curl she loved so much hung almost over his eyebrows and the sides were threatening his ears. His face was, as always, neatly shaven and his smooth skin and high cheekbones contributed to the overall ethereal quality of him.
"I believe I have already become acquainted with the queen," Darcy told them. "If she is a pint-sized ball of brown fur and righteous fury, she introduced herself to me outside," he sounded put out, but Elizabeth knew at least some of it was teasing.
"Oh no what has she done?" Mrs Goulding chuckled.
"Nothing too serious," Darcy assured her, but before he could elaborate the Queen herself was heard behind him. Darcy stepped further into the room and Mr. Goulding, Charlotte in his arms, came in.
"I must apologize again, Sir," Mr. Goulding said to Darcy.
"It is of no matter, I assure you," Darcy responded.
"I thank you for your understanding, sir," he responded then taking a moment to review the room asked, "It seems you are acquainted with our Lizzy?"
"I do have that honour."
"Mr, Goulding, allow me to present Mr. Darcy and his son Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Gentlemen, this is Mr. Goulding."
The gentlemen bowed their acknowledgements to one another before Mrs. Goulding invited everyone to sit while she rang for more tea.
Several minutes of congenial conversation followed. There was travel, weather and the roads to canvass. Somehow in this company these trite topics did not seem so mundane. And they allowed Lizzy to continue to, surreptitiously, watch Darcy and try and get herself under control. If she had known she was to see him she would have – well she would have worn a different dress and paid more mind to her hair, but also she would have been able to steel herself. Maybe.
While the Gouldings and Mr. Darcy discussed an acquaintance they just found to have in common Darcy, who was seated to her left, leaned in and spoke to Lizzy. His voice not quite a whisper but soft and firm, and so close.
"Georgiana would have loved to accompany us," he told her. "But the plan came together at the last minute, and she had not yet returned from Matlock. She will be at Pemberley when we arrive tomorrow. Though of course we have explained that you will likely want time to be with the Gardiners and little Amelia in particular before you visit us."
"Have you met her?" Elizabeth asked, eagerly.
"Will you be incredibly jealous if I tell you that I have held her on more than one occasion?"
"I will indeed! Tell me everything."
And he did. Lizzy and Darcy spoke for several minutes exclusively about Miss Amelia Gardiner. Darcy patiently and in great detail answered all of her questions. She had many. Though both her aunt and uncle had written to her since the birth they were understandably short missives conveying little beyond their joy and the well-being of mother and child. Darcy shared the details Elizabeth had yet to learn.
What colour was her hair – she was practically bald with a tuft of brown on the top of a very round head
What about her eyes – she kept them closed more often than not, but he had glimpsed enough to know they were light brown
Is her aunt truly well – yes, she appears not only healthy but as happy as Darcy has ever seen her. She could not stop smiling at her daughter.
Does she look like her parents – Darcy swore he saw a little of Elizabeth in her.
Though Lizzy wanted to stay on this declaration, perhaps ask why or what reminded Darcy of herself, she had one question that had plagued her since she received the announcement of her cousin's birth.
"Was my uncle disappointed . . . that it is a girl?" she glanced quickly at the others who seemed engrossed in their own conversation. "Or Mr. Barlow?"
Darcy looked surprised for a moment then seemed to consider his response.
"I have seen no evidence of any disappointment," he said quietly, leaning slightly closer. "They both seem nothing but delighted, enraptured even."
Elizabeth nodded as she took in his words. Being her father's favourite among five daughters had not meant that both her parents didn't often make clear that their desire with each birth was for a son. This made sense as Longbourn was entailed away from the female line, but that knowledge did not lessen the sting of the consistent expressions of lament for their lack of a son.
"Thank you," she whispered as Mrs. Goulding rose and the gentlemen then did likewise.
"Well, Miss Lizzy I understand your friends will want to get on the road as you only have few hours of daylight to reach Leicester."
"Yes, of course," Lizzy responded, rising. "Shall I find Thomas and have him move my trunk?"
"It is a lovely afternoon now that the rain has stopped; shall we all walk out while the carriages and the baggage are made ready?" Mr. Goulding offered.
"A wonderful idea," Mr. Darcy agreed with a smile. "Let us stretch our legs before spending another few hours confined in our respective conveyances."
Mrs. Goulding attached Queen Charlotte's black leather leash to her collar and the party made their way outside. The Goulding's coachman, with the help of the Darcy's tiger, unloaded Elizabeth's small trunk and secured it on top of the Darcy carriage.
"We will miss you, Lizzy," Mr. Goulding said. "It has been a pleasure to get to know you just a little bit better. I hope you will not be stranger when we return to the neighbourhood."
"Yes, my dear," Mrs. Goulding agreed, coming to stand beside her husband. "We will miss your company." With this she pulled Lizzy into a fierce embrace and whispered, "I hope you enjoy the pleasant vistas ahead of you," then winking she added, "and I do not mean the ones outside of the carriage."
Lizzy laughed a little nervously, looking to see if the Darcy's were far enough away to have missed this. Mrs. Goulding's whisper was not quite as quiet as she thought it was. Mr. Darcy seemed oblivious as he looked at something his coachman was pointing out with one of the horses, but the red suffusing her Darcy's cheeks seemed to indicate he had heard.
Pulling her mind from this Elizabeth managed to thank the Goulding's for their hospitality and generosity in seeing her to Coventry and promised to visit as soon as they returned to Hertfordshire in the spring. She also gave them two small parcels, wrapped in brown packaging, each adorned with a sprig of holly.
"You mustn't open those until Christmas," she admonished as they said their final goodbyes. The Darcys came to offer their farewells and Elizabeth had to stifle a giggle at the return of Darcy's blush when Mrs. Goulding presented her cheek for a kiss declaring that she could not let such a handsome man get away without one. Lizzy was still laughing to herself about it as the three of them settled into their seats, the gentlemen on the opposite bench, Lizzy in the forward-facing seat.
"What amuses you so, Miss Elizabeth," Mr. Darcy asked. The carriage lurched to life and Lizzy found no reason to prevaricate.
"Your son's reaction to Mrs. Goulding, Sir."
While Darcy shot her an accusing glance his father insisted on an explanation. Though perhaps she could have been embarrassed about the conversation, but as her father had trained her to – she chose to find humour in it and frankly enjoyed Darcy's embarrassment – she had certainly felt enough of that in his presence over the years.
"For a young man who must be used to people remarking on his handsome features and pleasing countenance he is surprisingly squeamish about it," she smiled at both men – one looked entertained the other increasingly surly. Turning to Darcy she added, "it is not as if you have done anything to deserve the attention or contributed to its cause so I would advise you to accept it as you would someone admiring a painting at Pemberly or perhaps one of your horses."
Mr. Darcy barked out a laugh at this and his son turned the accusing glare to him.
"I apologize, Fitzwilliam," he said, making an effort to smother his smile. He did not quite succeed. "But Miss Elizabeth is right. I know you dislike attention, but she offers a perspective that might possibly alleviate some of your discomfort?"
"While I to would like to invite you to ruminate on my wisdom, perhaps in the meantime we can change the subject," Elizabeth offered with a tilt of her brow. Turning to Mr. Darcy she said, "to ancient Rome?"
The rest of the journey to the Inn at Leicester was spent in a lively debate over the merits of various Roman emperors and their military campaigns.