Miss Darcy nodded with appreciation. “I think I would like that very much.”

Chapter 18

Later, Elizabeth and Emily went upstairs to the music room to allow the young girl some practice. Emily sat down at the pianoforte, and Elizabeth pulled out the easy pieces of music that the young girl had been working on.

As Emily played, Elizabeth thought back to her conversation with Miss Darcy. In addition to all Miss Darcy shared about her difficulties with Rosalyn—her struggle with saying no to people and her warm acceptance of Elizabeth’s offer to be of assistance—Elizabeth also pondered Miss Darcy’s statement that she was making every attempt to like Miss Matthews for her brother’s sake. That meant that Miss Darcy was still under the impression that her brother had feelings of affection for Rosalyn. Elizabeth wondered whether it was founded on something more than just conjecture.

After a suitable length of time at practicing both the pianoforte and singing, Emily was ready for rest. Elizabeth took her to her room and then returned downstairs, going straight to the north wing. She opened one of the large double doors that separated it from the rest of the house and walked through.

As she walked down the hall, she followed the sound of the voices, which brought her to a sitting room. It appeared this had become the gathering place for those who wished to visit with one another. Several children were scattered about reading or colouring or playing with a toy they brought along. There were several ladies and an older gentleman. Elizabeth surmised that all the able men were out trying to protect their homes from the rising waters. Everyone seemed to be acquainted, and from Elizabeth’s viewpoint, they seemed fairly content in their circumstances. Who would not in a place such as this?

The sound of a child crying drew Elizabeth’s attention, and she walked farther down the hall. She came to a large dining room and looked in, noticing a little girl at the window looking out.

Servants bustled in and out, readying the room for the evening meal. They scurried around the girl, occasionally patting her on the head or whispering something to her. The girl kept gazing out, her little fingers pressed against the pane. A few sniffles and short gasps accompanied her soft cries. Looking about the room, Elizabeth saw no one else there who would be her family, so she walked up to her.

“Hello, there. You are not very happy, are you?”

The little girl shook her head, keeping her eyes on the window. Elizabeth looked out with her at the courtyard.

“What is your name?”

The girl muttered a very soft, “Rachel.”

“That is a very nice name,” Elizabeth replied. “Is your family here?”

The girl nodded. “Mamma is feeding the baby, and Pappa is out there somewhere.”

“It can be a little frightening when things like this happen. You have nothing to worry about. I am very certain your father will return shortly.” Elizabeth stooped down so she could talk more easily with her. “I have been here all week and have been fed the most delicious food and have been very well taken care of. I am sure you will be, too.”

Elizabeth placed her finger under Rachel’s chin and turned her face to look at her. “Can I see a little smile?”

Rachel responded with sniffling and a fervent shaking of her head. “Misty is missing, and I know she will drown!”

Elizabeth leaned in toward her, concern gripping her. “Who is Misty?”

“My kitty. Misty cannot swim and will drown.”

Elizabeth pursed her lips together and then asked, “Is Misty very special to you?”

With a nod, Rachel turned her eyes back out the window. “I wish we could have found her before we left. Mamma said we didn’t have time to look for her.”

“I would guess that if your father finds her, he will bring her back directly.”

Tears filled Rachel’s eyes as she said weakly, “He said Mr. Darcy would not allow us to bring a cat with us here.”

Elizabeth’s heart ached for the little girl. Of course he would likely have set down rules for their coming and staying at Pemberley. She turned her eyes out the window, knowing that there was little chance of Misty being found. She let out a quick breath. The men were most likely busy with other more important things.

She decided to let Rachel talk about her cat. “Rachel, tell me, what does Misty look like? What colour is she?”

“Grey,” Rachel answered. “With just a little white above her nose.” Her finger touched her nose as she said this.

“She must be very pretty.”

Rachel nodded. They were silent for a few moments, and then Rachel whispered, “And sweet.”

“I imagine you know just how to make her purr.”

Rachel turned and looked at Elizabeth. Her lower lip trembled as she said, “She likes to have the top of her head scratched.”

Elizabeth reached out and took her hand. “You know, I saw some other children playing down the hall. Sometimes it helps me to think about other things when I am afraid or worried. I would guess that if you joined them, you would feel better directly.”

Rachel quickly turned back to look again out the window. “But I would not want to miss Pappa in case he finds Misty.”

“Why do you not go and play with your friends, and I will come and get you as soon as he returns.”

Rachel turned as if to do as Elizabeth suggested, but then stopped. Elizabeth gave her an encouraging nod. “I will let you know if Misty… or your father… returns.”

Elizabeth guided Rachel to the door and then watched as she slowly walked away. One of the maids, who had been preparing the dining room, spoke up. “You sure have a way with the young ’uns. We tried everything to console her. She is terribly worried about her cat!”

Elizabeth nodded silently in agreement and walked back to the sitting room. When she came to the door, she peeked in. Rachel was sitting next to another young girl about her age, and they were talking. She seemed distracted, at least for now. Chances were, however, that she would worry about her cat as long as they were here.

Elizabeth walked down the length of the hall to see if there was anyone else who looked like they needed someone to talk to. There was no one in the hallway, and as most of the doors were closed, she did not feel that she should disturb the occupants. She reached the end of the hallway and was just about to turn around when the doors to the courtyard burst open. She stepped back quickly as a tall figure, drenched from the rain, strode in.

The man was looking down, holding his coat tightly about him, a cape covering his head. He glanced up just as he was about to collide into Elizabeth. “Miss Bennet!”

Elizabeth could not prevent a laugh from escaping as she found herself looking into Mr. Darcy’s dark eyes. “Mr. Darcy?”

He pulled the cape down with one hand, keeping his other secured across the front of his coat. Water ran down his face and dripped from his hair. “How is everyone faring?” he asked.

“I have only just arrived, but I believe Mrs. Reynolds and the servants have everyone well settled.”

At that moment a sound came from underneath Mr. Darcy’s coat.

“Why, Mr. Darcy!” Elizabeth laughed as she looked up at him with wide eyes. “I do believe your coat just meowed!”

The look of fatigue and concern melted into a smile. “And because of that, I need a little help,” he said as he struggled to unbutton his coat with his free hand. As his coat fell open, Elizabeth saw that he held a cat, wrapped snugly in a scarf so she would not scratch him. The poor thing was frantically trying to wiggle out. “There is a little girl here, a Miss Weber…”

Without thinking, Elizabeth gently reached in to pet the cat’s head. “Hello, Misty. Be still now, will you?” She looked up at him, her eyes warm with appreciation. “I spoke with little Rachel, and she told me about Misty.” She reached in and wrapped her hands around the cat, becoming suddenly mindful of what she was doing. Her cheeks warmed in a blush. For a brief moment she lost all ability to think what she ought to do, and allowed her hands to linger in the warmth of his chest.

A sharp intake of breath drew her eyes up to Mr. Darcy’s face. Dark eyes and lowered brows met her.

She had to will her hands to leave their place of sanctuary in order to retrieve the cat. To disguise the feelings that his presence stirred within her, she looked back at the cat and asked with a nervous laugh, “Are you Misty? I certainly hope so!”

She could only see the cat’s face, but readily saw that she was grey with a little white around her nose.

Casting her eyes down as she felt a blush stain her cheeks, she told him, “Rachel has been terribly worried.”

“Well, this better be Misty,” Darcy answered in a somewhat stilted voice. “Otherwise I climbed that tree for nothing!”

“You climbed a tree?” she asked incredulously, looking back up and meeting a contented grin. She was grateful that the awkward moment had passed. “Certainly you did no such thing!”

“I most certainly did! That girl practically refused to leave until we found the cat. The waters were rapidly approaching her house, and they could delay no longer. After they departed, I was trying to keep my horse to higher, dry ground and heard a meow. It was coming from a tree down an embankment whose base was about five inches in water. The poor thing would have been stranded until the waters receded. If she tried to come down, she would surely have drowned. So I jumped off my horse and climbed up to get her. I think she was more than anxious to get down, but in order to bring her back here, it was necessary for me to wrap her up securely in a scarf so she would not scratch me.” He reached over and scratched the cat’s head. “For reasons beyond my comprehension, she did not like being stuffed under my coat!”