Georgiana had already taken charge of Kitty and was helping her settle into her room, which left Elizabeth free to devote her attention to Mary.
“My dear sister, your feet and legs are very swollen. Come with me. We shall walk down the hall and back, and then I will massage your feet and legs.”
She rang for Gibbs.
“Please find extra pillows for my sister. We shall take a short walk, and afterward I shall elevate her legs upon pillows. Let Mrs. Reynolds know that one of the upper chambermaids is to attend her during her stay with us.” Turning to her sister, she asked, “At what hour would you like your bath drawn? And shall you come down to dinner, or would you prefer a tray sent up to your room?”
Once the arrangements had been settled with an eye to Mary’s comfort, they completed two circuits of the corridor, then Elizabeth fell to the work of massaging her sister’s feet and legs. When she had finished, she left her in the care of the newly assigned chambermaid.
Elizabeth sought out the housekeeper and requested that arrangements be made for the midwife to call the following day. Having nothing further requiring her attention, she retired to her own chamber and enjoyed her first bath after six days of travel. It was a luxurious indulgence.
Afterward, she lay down to rest for an hour.
Mr. Darcy found her curled in her bed when he came upstairs to bathe and dress. He bent and kissed her.
“Darling, it is almost time to dress for dinner, unless you wish for a tray to be sent up.”
“No indeed, sir. It is too late to change dinner plans. I do not wish to distress Cook.”
He brushed his lips against hers. “Such sweet lips, Elizabeth.”
He lowered his head and brushed a trail of kisses from her throat to the rounded swell of her breasts visible above the edge of her bodice. His nearness sent delicious shivers coursing through her very depths, and she pressed herself closer to him. His touch awakened a sweet longing. For the short while that remained before they must dress, Elizabeth held the whole of his attention.
It was the last week of May. One month had passed in quiet contentment. Elizabeth strolled through a meadow bordering the kitchen gardens. Left in its natural state, it was bursting with wildflowers and fresh spring grasses. She was grateful to have her two sisters with her at Pemberley. She had not anticipated how fully estate matters would occupy Mr. Darcy during the day.
During the past weeks, he and his steward had inspected drainage ditches, fences, hedges, gates, and roads, determining what repairs the winter weather had made necessary. More recently, his attention had turned to the hay meadows, for the harvest would begin in June and preparations had to be completed beforehand. He expressed satisfaction with the condition of the livestock and often, in the evenings, spoke to her of the lambs and calves. His chief concerns were preventingdisease outbreaks among the flocks and ensuring adequate pasture for them throughout the summer.
Tonight, as they lay in bed, he told her that the head shepherd had expressed concern over a pack of wild dogs that had been worrying sheep on a neighboring estate.
“The western farms here at Pemberley lie nearest to where the attacks have occurred. The dogs have already killed several of Selkirk’s lambs.”
“What shall be done about this pack, sir?”
“Selkirk and I intend to organize a hunting party and track them down. Fortunately, they have not breached any of our fences or barns, but it is only a matter of time.”
Her brow furrowed.
“What is it, darling? Why do you look concerned?”
“Sir, I fear a hunting accident. Who shall accompany you? Are they all properly trained, so that no one is injured by an errant shot?”
“You need not worry, Elizabeth. I have hunted since I was a boy. The Miller brothers, my gamekeeper, and his underkeeper shall accompany me, and Selkirk will bring experienced men as well. We shall take the hounds, and if fortune favors us, we shall bring down the pack within a day or two.”
She rolled onto her side to better see his face. “Sir, I am not given to fears, at least no more than most, yet I cannot help feeling anxious for your safety.”
He drew her closer, and she rested her head upon his shoulder. “I take every precaution, Elizabeth. I do not trifle with my safety. You need not fear for me.”
“I understand with my head, sir, but my heart refuses to be persuaded. Can you not send the others and refrain from joining the hunting party yourself?”
He angled his head to better see her face. “Did your father not hunt upon his estate?”
“He did, but generally in company with Sir William Lucas, and on foot. It was a very deliberate affair, with little danger to the hunters.”
“So, your father never hunted on horseback?”
“No, sir. He keeps only the animals necessary to work the farm and those that pull the carriage. He has a riding horse, and there is old Nellie, whom my sisters rode.”
“So, you are imagining every manner of misfortune will befall us during this hunt? There shall be no more than ten or eleven men, myself included. We are all experienced in the use of firearms, and we shall remain together, and within sight of one another, so there is little danger of an accidental injury.”