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just announced and Georgiana has
already gone in. Shall we join her?”
    He nodded and offered his arm to escort her
into the dining hall. There the three Darcys gathered at the near
end of a massive mahogany table sized to comfortably accommodate
more than ten times that number.
    After the soup had gone quietly by, Elizabeth
observed, “The weather has cleared. Perhaps we might have our ride
after all, my dear. I believe the fresh air would do us both good.
What do you say?”
    “I don’t see why not. Will you join us,
Georgiana?”
    “I thank you, no. I rode Ginger hard
yesterday; she has earned her rest.”
    “You cannot expect to be excused on those
grounds,” Darcy objected. “The stables are full of horses. Surely
we can find you another mount.”
    “Duchess, I daresay, would be happy to oblige
you,” Elizabeth suggested by way of a joke.
    Before she came to Pemberley, Elizabeth was
no horsewoman. Therefore, Mr. Darcy made a circumspect choice for
her first mount, selecting a steady dapple-gray mare of advanced
age and decrepitude. It was not long, however, before Elizabeth
tired of Duchess’ plodding pace, and begged to be promoted to a
horse with more spirit and speed. After much pleading, she was
allowed to retire Duchess in favor of a roan gelding of seven with
enough vitality to satisfy her and stay the pace with her husband’s
mount.
    “Or, if you prefer,” Elizabeth continued,
“you shall have my Simba, and I will renew my acquaintance with
Duchess.”
    Since Georgiana could not be persuaded to
join them, Darcy and Elizabeth changed into their riding clothes
and went without her. They started by taking the path that traced
the perimeter of the lake and its outlet, following it far
downstream to a place where the water was slow and shallow enough
for a safe crossing. The trail then took them through the wood,
gradually climbing to one of the higher points of the estate. There
they stopped to rest their horses and to appreciate the fine
prospect of the surrounding countryside afforded by an opening
through the trees. Continuing on, they eventually broke out onto a
great meadow where they turned themselves and their horses loose
for an exhilarating gallop before joining the drive to return to
the stables.
    Elizabeth’s visage glowed with high color as
she and Darcy strolled back toward the house in the dusky evening
light. “What a capital way to end our first day home!” she
exclaimed. “I cannot imagine any felicity superior to the thrill of
a good ride.”
    “I can think of one or two things to rival
the experience,” Darcy murmured. “But it was invigorating, I
grant you. And I must say your horsemanship has come a long way,
Lizzy. As a rider, you are quite transformed.”
    “In so many other ways as well,” she mused,
half to herself, marveling once again at the metamorphosis of her
circumstances over the last year.

     

Chapter 5
     
    Colonel Fitzwilliam
     
    Later that night, Georgiana retrieved a
letter that had come for her brother in his absence. “It is from
Colonel Fitzwilliam, I think,” she said, handing it over to
him.
    “It is indeed,” Darcy replied as he
recognized the scrawling handwriting of the direction. He opened it
and read the short note aloud.
    My Dear Friend,
    I find myself summoned once again by our aunt
to Rosings. Since her disappointment over you, she has relied more
and more upon me for company and entertainment. I know that I can
be rather amusing at times, yet I can hardly imagine why she
requires my presence there so often. Alas, duty calls, and, as you
know, a military man cannot shirk his duty. I do at least propose
myself the satisfaction of enjoying your hospitality for a few days
on my way. According to my plans, I should be with you at Pemberley
on Thursday next. You ought to feel an obligation to cheer and
fortify me for the journey. After all, it is entirely your fault
that I must now suffer these visits alone. Not that I blame you for
marrying