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Quite amused by the pair, Mrs. Gardiner finally stepped in to explain; “Mr. Darcy came to us with his desire to show you some of those prospects on the estate which are inaccessible by any wheeled vehicle and too far to reach on foot. He understood that you knew how to ride but was concerned that you might not have brought the necessary… accoutrements.”

Madeleine glanced toward their young hostess. “Miss Darcy and I arranged a trip to the cobbler and seamstress in Lambton while you were engaged with your uncle entertaining the children. They were able to take measurements from your walking boots and a gown I brought to them.”

Elizabeth hugged the dress to her chest and beamed at each person in the room. “So you have all conspired on this… I thank you; it’s a delightful and truly unexpected surprise. I can only hope that I do not disappoint you all by falling before my mount takes its first step!”

Darcy looked ready to burst with pleasure. “Don’t worry—the mare I’ve chosen for you is as sure-footed and well-trained as any I’ve seen.” He turned toward Mrs. Gardiner and winked. “For she is a Dales pony and we all know that anything bred in the Pennines must be superior.”

Having already guessed that the little wooden horse was only a placeholder for a living, breathing animal, Lizzy could only shake her head fondly at her fiancé before allowing herself to be herded off to her dressing room by the ladies.

When Georgiana and Mrs. Gardiner were done admiring the smart riding habit and boots on Elizabeth, she descended and quickly found herself at the Pemberley stables, being introduced to a pretty bay mare with three white socks and a jagged blaze.

Knowing little of horses, Elizabeth could only agree that the mare possessed a sweet temperament and appeared completely unperturbed by the bustle around her. Regardless, Lizzy was relieved when the others returned to the house before she was expected to mount.

Rather than leave her to the care of a stable boy, Mr. Darcy himself helped her adjust the stirrup and gather the reins.

To Elizabeth’s great relief, the mare stood quietly by the mounting block and she managed to settle into the saddle without embarrassing herself too greatly.

She attempted to lessen her nervousness by teasing her equerry; “You seem very knowledgeable in the ways of sidesaddles and palfreys, Mr. Darcy.”

Her fiancé glanced up and she was struck by how well such a look of contentment became him. “I taught my sister to ride. To be honest, I have a great respect for the ladies who attempt such a precarious perch.”

Lizzy laughed aloud. “Please, sir! Do not remind me of that before I have even taken my first step!”

Swinging himself up into the saddle of his own dapple-gray gelding, Darcy came to her side and with little fanfare they started off at a companionable walk.

“When Georgiana was eight, she fell from her pony and was afraid to get on again. The only way I could convince her to try again was to allow her to ride astride as I did—it certainly wasn’t ladylike, but it was infinitely more secure. ”

Elizabeth chuckled. “If it is unladylike, then so be it. I freely admit that, at that age, I’d often take Nelly out to the farthest hay fields and ride astride while I raced to see how fast we could go.”

She turned toward her companion with a twinkle in her eye. “Perhaps your sister and I shall set a scandalous new fashion in Derbyshire, Mr. Darcy. You must remember that I am born and bred in Hertfordshire, sir, and Lady Emily Cecil has made a lasting impression on the females in our county!”

When Fitzwilliam looked confused, she laughed and explained, “The Marchioness of Salisbury claims to have been the first female Master of Foxhounds and continues to ride with her pack, the Hertfordshire Hunt, though she must be seventy if she is a day.”

Darcy had intended to keep this first outing brief, knowing what soreness might result from a long ride in one unaccustomed to the exercise.

Unfortunately, such resolutions were quickly forgotten as he and Elizabeth rode, speaking of this and that and enjoying the scenery from a new perspective.

He had often daydreamed of taking her on just such an outing and its duration did not occur to him until he realized that two hours had passed and they were still far from the house.

Elizabeth waved off his apologies for she was greatly enjoying the adventure.

However, when they finally reached the stables and dismounted, Darcy easily read her discomfort by the tightness of her expression and stiffness in her posture.

Suddenly all of her complaints from that morning returned and it was with a great deal of relief that Lizzy retreated to her bedchamber and asked the maid to prepare a hot bath.

Finally admitting to herself that no amount of willpower could overcome her body’s natural courses, Elizabeth sent word that she would be staying in her rooms for the remainder of the afternoon and settled in for a long, hot soak.

When she emerged, she donned her loosest, most comfortable gown and curled up in the window seat with a favorite novel.

At the female-dominated Longbourn, such behavior would have been instantly comprehended and, indeed, expected.

However, the Master of Pemberley had little comprehension of the practicalities of a woman’s physiology and took Elizabeth’s absence as evidence of something far worse.

As a result, it was not long before Lizzy answered a light tap on her door to discover Mrs. Gardiner.

“Aunt Maddy! Please—come in. I hope I’ve not disrupted your plans for the afternoon. ”

Madeleine smiled, reassured by her niece’s looks, and the pair settled by the window. “Not at all. I would have come to check on you regardless, but your Mr. Darcy was a bit concerned when you did not appear at luncheon.”

Elizabeth grimaced. “How does one explain to a gentleman that once a month, one is indisposed? Suddenly I begin to understand Mama’s proliferation of headaches and nerves!”

Her aunt was not quite able to stifle her laughter. “Yes, well… I cannot recommend her methods but they seem to have sufficed at Longbourn.”

Wishing for some advice from her most sensible female relative, Elizabeth ignored her impulse to make another jest. “Aunt? I… He…” She rolled her eyes at herself and began again.

“Fitzwilliam and I have discussed our preference to be very honest and open with one another. Our past misunderstandings caused us both a great deal of pain and we have no desire to repeat that.”

When she paused, her aunt spoke encouragingly, “That’s an excellent foundation for a marriage.”

Elizabeth smiled crookedly but focused on her hands clasped in her lap.

“Yes… it’s only that… well, he does think so very highly of me.

But now that I am here… it was so easy to laugh at Miss Bingley’s fawning over the great Master of Pemberley, the grandest estate in England…

and I suppose I laughed at him as well… he was so severe, so very serious, compared to any of the other young men I had ever met.

“And what right did he have to behave in such a manner, I asked myself? After all, Papa had been master of his family’s estate since he was a young man and he never acted so.

” Lizzy shook her head, mocking herself.

“Did you know that Fitzwilliam has tenants whose farms are equal in acreage to Longbourn? And more productive, I dare say. He was showing me a map yesterday so that I might better understand where various landmarks are relative to the house. Did you know that he really does own half of Derbyshire? Over all those centuries, the Darcys have never sold off any of that original land grant from William the Conqueror. And, though he may claim that much of it is too steep for anything but sheep pasture, beneath the surface there are coalmines and lead mines… mines for things I’ve never heard of!

He has a bowl made from a purple crystal that looks like amethyst with streaks of yellow—he called it Blue John—and apparently this part of Derbyshire is the only known deposit in all the world… and he owns it… all of it!”

Mrs. Gardiner was becoming concerned over her niece’s angst. “Lizzy…”

But Elizabeth could not seem to stop. “And then there are all the investments; he owns the cottages that the miners rent… he has interests in the mills that comb and spin the wool from his sheep… he is even part-owner of the canal that they built to transport it all!”

“Enough, Elizabeth! I’ve never seen you so affected by wealth before!”

“Oh stars, Aunt, it isn’t the money, it’s all those people…

all dependent on him . All those farmers and miners and shopkeepers and teamsters…

the smallest decision he makes seems to ripple out and affect more lives than I can conceive of.

And I, silly, provincial little Lizzy Bennet, made a joke of him because he was so serious. ”

Madeleine was beginning to understand. “And now you’re feeling guilty for that, and perhaps a little inferior.”

Elizabeth drew a deep breath. “Heavens, yes, Aunt. Mrs. Reynolds wants to meet with me to discuss any changes I wish to make in how the household is run. Households, I should say, as there is also the one in London, and some property in Scotland that he has mentioned in passing. At least he sold off the land in the West Indies after his father passed away. Heavens above, it will take me a year just to learn the names of all the maids here in this house.” She managed a small smile.

“Perhaps I should set myself a schedule. In my first year, I shall learn the maids’ names.

The second will be for the manservants, and after that the gardeners and stablemen… ”

“They do not expect you to know all of their names, Lizzy.”

“But at Longbourn…”

“This is not Longbourn, Elizabeth.”