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The next morning, Lizzy went down to the servant’s quarters to get a cup of hot chocolate for Miss Darcy.
“Miss Darcy loves her chocolate,” Mrs. Reynolds said fondly as she supervised Lizzy grating chocolate into a saucepan of milk. Cook was busy preparing breakfast for the two ladies.
The cocoa aroma teased Lizzy’s senses and made her mouth water.
“Yes, that is the way she likes it made.” The housekeeper looked at Lizzy in approval.
“Thank you,” Lizzy replied, pleased that her chocolate making skills passed inspection. In truth, she enjoyed a cup of chocolate in the morning as well, but with four sisters, it could only be an occasional treat.
Lizzy carried the hot drink up. The time was a quarter after eight. She hoped that was not too early for Miss Darcy.
After knocking on the door and being bade to enter, Lizzy set the tray across her mistress’s lap. Miss Darcy sat up in bed, her long fair hair tumbling around her shoulders.
“Thank you, Miss Brown,” she said with a smile. “Don’t forget that after breakfast we shall go for a long walk.”
“I won’t forget, Miss Darcy,” Lizzy replied. She crossed to the window and pulled back the curtains. “Is this too much light?” Morning sunshine streamed in through the windows.
“The sun is very pleasant,” Miss Darcy said, taking a sip of chocolate. “Mmm. This is wonderful.”
“I am glad that you like it,” Lizzy replied.
After Miss Darcy finished her chocolate, Lizzy helped her choose a cream day dress with pale apricot flourishes along the hem.
“Meet me in the hall after breakfast,” Miss Darcy told her before descending the staircase to have breakfast with Mrs. Annesley.
Lizzy tidied up her mistress’s room, noting it was not much different from neatening up at Longbourn! However, Miss Darcy was tidier than Kitty and Lydia.
Then, when she judged that Miss Darcy must have finished breakfast, she hurried down the stairs. She did not want to keep the young girl waiting. Lizzy might be able to discover more about Sally’s disappearance during their ramble.
She had been disappointed last night with Miss Darcy’s response to her enquiries about Sally. But it had been late and Miss Darcy was undoubtedly tired. Perhaps today, in the fresh country air, her employer would be a little more forthcoming about the missing housemaid.
But alas ...
As they walked in the topiary garden, Miss Darcy could not tell her any more than she had the previous evening.
“All I know is her mother came to the house to see if Sally was here. Mrs. Reynolds told me,” she added. “And Mrs. Reynolds assured me the staff had searched for her when she did not turn up at her parents’ farm on her day off. It seems that she has run off.” She paused. “Do you think she eloped?” Her face was troubled.
“If she has, then no one has heard of her beau,” Lizzy said carefully, not wanting to cause Miss Darcy any distress. Mr. Darcy’s admission in his letter to her that his sister had almost eloped with Wickham was foremost in her mind.
“I do not think eloping is the right thing to do,” Miss Darcy murmured. “It is better if the lady introduces her beau to her family and sees if they approve of him. Do you not think so, Miss Brown?”
“Indeed I do,” Lizzy replied, glad that Darcy’s sister seemed sensible in her romantic outlook, after the near disaster of last year.
“Come. I wish to show you the forest.” Miss Darcy took Lizzy’s arm as they left the topiary. “We did not have time to explore it yesterday.”
As the large oak trees and thickets came into view, Lizzy had a sudden thought. She looked at Miss Darcy, but it appeared that young lady read her mind.
“Mrs. Reynolds assured me they searched for Sally in here,” she told Lizzy.
“I am glad to hear of it,” Lizzy said gravely. Her concern for Hill’s niece was mounting. From all she had heard, Sally was a good girl, who enjoyed visiting her parents on her day off. It seemed out of character – from what Lizzy knew of her, and all by hearsay – that she would leave her few belongings behind to take up a new position.
And where would the position be? Miss Darcy told her there were neighboring estates, but the Darcys owned a vast amount of land. It was not as if Sally had merely walked a short distance to the house next door and was now working there.
But ... surely it could not be white slavers? She hesitated to ask Miss Darcy about the possibly. She did not want to alarm the girl.
What of Mrs. Annesley? Perhaps she could ask that lady, who seemed quite sensible. She trusted that Mrs. Annesley would not suddenly have hysterics at the thought.
Little birds chirped in the forest, and Lizzy spied a gray squirrel scampering up a tree.
“This is my special place,” Miss Darcy confessed, turning her face up to the towering trees above them. “Whenever I need to think, I come here.”
“It is marvelous.” Lizzy admired the rustic wildness of the place.
“Did your sisters have somewhere to go like this?” Miss Darcy asked curiously.
“Alas, no,” Lizzy replied. “They had a large garden of course, and grew herbs for the stillroom, and had a lovely display of lavender. But Miss Elizabeth—” she found it strange to talk of herself in the third person “—often went for walks on her own, all over the countryside.”
“Oh, how I wish I could do that!” Miss Darcy looked wistful.
“You are not allowed?” Lizzy guessed.
“No.” Miss Darcy’s face fell. “But I am permitted to go anywhere on the estate – and it is very large. I should not complain, for I know I am very lucky.”
“Perhaps one day you will be able to go wherever you like,” Lizzy suggested carefully. She must be careful not to overstep her bounds as an employee, and she must also not put insensible ideas in Miss Darcy’s head. There may be more than one George Wickham around, and she did not wish any harm to come to Darcy’s sister.
She just hoped no harm had come to Sally.
They continued their ramble, Miss Darcy pointing out particular items of interest, such as the wild plum tree in the middle of the forest, dropping fruit on the leaf strewn ground.
“I cannot wait until my brother returns home,” Miss Darcy said as they threaded their way out of the woods and headed toward the house.
“Do you know when that will be?” Lizzy asked, her breath catching.
“No.” The girl sounded disappointed. “But I am sure he will come when he has finished his business in London.”
“I am certain of it,” Lizzy replied, giving her an encouraging smile.
Once again, she could not fathom that Darcy had not taken his sister to London with him. Didn’t he realize how lonely she was by herself in this large house, with only Mrs. Annesley for company?
Lizzy wished she could invite Miss Darcy to visit her at Longbourn, although she knew Darcy would shudder at the thought. She did not want to cause Miss Darcy any embarrassment – but with her mother’s behavior at times, as well as Kitty and Lydia’s, she could not be certain of that. Though Miss Darcy would have plenty of company at Longbourn, she did not wish for Lydia’s hoydenish streak to rub off on her.
They arrived back at the house, Lizzy frustrated that her search for the truth about Sally’s disappearance had not yielded anything.
“I think I shall read a book this afternoon,” Miss Darcy told her as they entered the house, Lizzy conscious that as a servant she should really enter by the rear entrance. But she was accompanying her mistress, and Miss Darcy did not seem to think anything awry with Lizzy walking through the front door with her.
“May I enquire as to what you are reading?” Lizzy asked curiously.
“The Mysteries of Udolpho. I am up to quite a thrilling bit,” Miss Darcy confessed.
“I have enjoyed that novel myself,” Lizzy admitted with a smile.
“Oh, I should love to discuss it with you when I have finished!” Miss Darcy beamed. “Mrs. Annesley says she thinks it would be too horrid for her, but I am enjoying it immensely.”
“I would be glad to talk about it,” Lizzy replied.
“Then it is settled.” Miss Darcy smiled at Lizzy again. “Please take the afternoon off – I shall not need you until it is time for bed. I’m afraid Mrs. Annesley and I are being very countrified and rarely bother to dress for dinner when my brother is away.” She lowered her voice. “But do not tell him that – he might be horrified.” She giggled.
“Thank you, Miss Darcy,” Lizzy replied. A whole afternoon to herself! She mentally went over Miss Darcy’s wardrobe, but had not seen anything in need of repair. She would be able to have this time to herself without any pressing need to return to the house – apart from taking her dinner with the other servants.
Now was her chance to trace Sally’s journey to her parents’ farm. For Lizzy was convinced that Sally had left Pemberley that fateful Sunday with the intention to visit her parents, as she usually did on her day off.
She watched Miss Darcy ascend the grand staircase, then she turned and walked out of the front door. Yes, she should have returned to the servants’ quarters and left the house through the rear entrance, but she did not want to be stopped by a curious fellow worker.
Lizzy breathed in deeply as she left the house. She loved being outdoors, and although she’d just enjoyed a pleasant walk with Miss Darcy, she appreciated the time alone in the fresh air. Although, this would not be a pleasure ramble. She would be searching for the truth as to Sally’s disappearance!
Hill had told her Sally’s parents lived to the west of Pemberley. Lizzy struck out in that direction, past the forest she had entered with Miss Darcy, keeping her eyes and ears alert for any strange noise or sight.
That was what she had endeavored to do when she had entered the forest with Miss Darcy, but she’d also had to pay attention to her mistress’s conversation and might have missed something.
She stopped in her tracks. Should she re-enter the forest and search for Sally herself, or trust that the staff had done a thorough job when Sally had gone missing?
It seemed strange that the butler and housekeeper did not care to talk about the matter. Was it because they were embarrassed that they did not know what had happened to someone under their care? Although they were all servants, the butler and housekeeper had charge of the lower servants.
The situation made Lizzy grateful once more for her family at Longbourn.
She continued on her way, reasoning that she could always search the wood on her way back to Pemberley.
Lizzy climbed over a stile, and then another, glad she was wearing sensible half boots. She wore an older dress, and did not mind that the hem had gotten a little muddy. She just hoped that Miss Darcy would not notice it upon her return!
At the edge of the field was a rutted dirt track. Was this the way to the farm?
Lizzy glanced at the sky, noting the sun was still high. Plenty of time to explore this route and make it back to the house before dark.
Lizzy kept her gaze fastened to the cart tracks in front of her. Tufts of grass grew between the left and right ruts. But she did not find a thing.
Disappointment trickled down her spine. She had been so sure that something had happened to Sally on her way to her parents’ farm.
A faint sound in the distance caused her to freeze. A low, mournful note. She relaxed when she realized it was a cow – or perhaps a bull. Definitely not a girl crying out for help.
Lizzy walked a little further down the track. She wondered if she had time to follow this route all the way to the farm.
A shadow passed over her and she looked up. The previously blue sky was now gray. It could mean rain.
Grimacing, Lizzy turned around and retraced her steps. If she still had time, she would search part of the forest on her way back to the house. Unfortunately, she did not think she would have the chance to investigate the whole forest this afternoon.
But she would definitely quiz Mrs. Annesley about white slavers tonight.