image
image
image

CHAPTER 5

image

“Miss Brown.” A knock on the door. “Miss Brown.”

Lizzy blinked, opening her eyes. Who was Miss Brown?

Suddenly her scheme rushed into her mind. She was Miss Brown.

“Coming!” she called, scrambling off the bed. How long had she slept?

Lizzy opened the door, pinning a smile to her face. She had to remember that she was now a servant and at the beck and call of her employer, no matter how delightful Miss Darcy appeared to be.

“Oh, Miss Brown.” Miss Darcy looked a little discomfited. “I did not mean to disturb you. But it is four o’clock, and if we wish to explore the gardens, we must go now before it gets dark.”

“Of course, Miss Darcy,” Lizzy replied, patting her hair. Did she look a fright? “I must apologize for falling asleep. I did not mean to.”

“No, it is my fault.” Miss Darcy looked guilty. “You must be tired from your journey.”

“I should love to go for a walk with you,” Lizzy said. It was the truth. She donned her old spencer and accompanied her employer down the grand staircase and through the front door.

“I am sure you will like it here,” Miss Darcy told her. “Emily liked it here very much – but she married a farmer and now lives in a nice little farmhouse – it is very neat – and looks after her own chickens while her husband tends to the farm.”

“That sounds very satisfactory,” Lizzy replied, glad for her predecessor.

“I visited her after she married,” Miss Darcy said. “And took a basket of Cook’s best delicacies to wish her happy.”

“That was most thoughtful of you,” Lizzy replied, knowing there were some ladies who would not even think of such a thing.

“And now I am waiting for my brother to return home.” Miss Darcy gave a little laugh, but to Lizzy, it sounded forlorn.

Anger pinched Lizzy’s heart. How could Darcy treat his sister so cavalierly – especially after what she had endured last summer at the hands of Wickham? Surely Darcy should be spending as much time as he could with his sister, not leaving her to rot all alone in Derbyshire, no matter how grand the house, or that she had a companion. If he appeared in front of her right now, she would give him a piece of her mind!

But – she would not be able to do anything like that, for she was merely a servant now, and he master of the estate.

“Let us explore the hot house.” Miss Darcy urged her toward a large glass house. “Jones – the head gardener – is able to grow roses year-round. I do adore the pink ones the best.”

“They are very pretty.” Lizzy admired the full-blown roses in different hues of pink as they walked the length of the greenhouse. She sniffed one, the musky aroma teasing her nostrils in the most pleasing way.

“Now I will show you the topiary,” Miss Darcy announced, leading the way out of the hothouse. “This is the view from your window.” She gestured to the house, the ornate glass windows winking at them in the late afternoon sunlight.

Numerous green clipped box hedge in all different shapes greeted them. Some were round, others square, and one even looked like a green hare.

“The rabbit is my favorite,” Miss Darcy confessed as they looked up at it. “Jones clips the topiary – he is very skilled.”

“He must be.” Lizzy admired the shapes, wishing for a moment they had topiary at Longbourn. The moment passed when once again she realized how lucky she was to have four sisters, even if Lydia and Kitty drove her to distraction at times.

“I thought we could visit the lake before dinner,” Miss Darcy said. She beckoned Lizzy to follow her behind the house. A large lake was situated at the rear.

“It is beautiful,” Lizzy replied. The water was sparkling and inviting.

Miss Darcy giggled. “Sometimes my brother likes taking a dip in summer.” She shivered. “But I am afraid I find the water too cold, even on a hot day.”

Lizzy nodded in understanding, although she could see why Mr. Darcy would be tempted to dive into the cool, clear water.

She suddenly realized that all this time, she should have been asking Miss Darcy about Sally, Hill’s niece.

“Is there a very large staff here?” she asked.

“Yes.” Miss Darcy nodded. “There is Mrs. Reynolds, of course, and Cook, and Beldon, the butler – I am sure you will meet him – and Mr. Fursby the steward, and the housemaids and the kitchen maids, the laundry maids, the dairy maids, the footmen, the grooms, and the gardeners.” Miss Darcy stopped to take a breath.

“Goodness,” Lizzy said in genuine amazement. She knew large houses needed a big staff but so many servants for how many occupants? Two? Miss Darcy and Mrs. Annesley?

“Sometimes I feel sorry for them,” Miss Darcy confided. “They must be so bored when it is only me and Mrs. Annesley here. Even when my brother is home, there is only three of us, unless the Bingleys come and stay.” She smiled. “They visited last year and it was so nice having company.”

“Perhaps they’ll come again this year,” Lizzy suggested.

“Oh, I hope so.” Miss Darcy’s face lit up.

Lizzy wondered if now was the right time to admit that Sally’s aunt actually worked for Elizabeth Bennet – Elizabeth’s parents, actually – that way it would not seem so strange for Lizzy to enquire about Sally’s health.

But before she could do so, Mrs. Annesley called out to them from across the lake.

“Miss Georgiana, a letter has arrived from your brother.”

“Oh!” Miss Darcy hurried toward the house. “Come, Miss Brown. I have been expecting a letter from him and I cannot wait to read it!”