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E lizabeth glanced at her aunt, who was looking rather uncomfortable, and turned back to her father.

“Well, I was avoiding his company, I suppose, and making sure I was always in the company of others. Then Charlotte said she thought it was obvious he regretted saying such and I ought to let him apologise. So at one of the gatherings, I did not avoid him, and he apologised — quite sincerely, I thought.”

She shrugged, deciding not to mention that last morning at Netherfield and Mr. Darcy seeming to want to walk with her to the folly. It was as well her aunt didn’t know about that. She looked at him.

“So why is he the reason you thought I might not be safe, Father?”

He sighed. “It is time you knew, of course, but it surrounds the time of your birth, and it is painful to recall it, though it was so long ago.”

Uncle Gardiner had been sitting quietly through the whole time, but he glanced at her aunt. “Perhaps we ought to leave you with Lady Elizabeth, sir. The fewer people who know, the better it might be.”

“Yes,” Aunt Gardiner nodded. “I will send for more tea, and you will be able to speak to Elizabeth as long as you wish.”

“No,” Father sighed. “This has been a secret long enough. If you may spare the time, please remain. And Elizabeth might wish to have you present.”

“Whatever you wish.” Aunt Gardiner sank back into her chair, and Elizabeth glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. What might this portend, that she might be distressed by it?

Her father’s smile was slightly twisted. “You look so like your mother, my dear. It is always difficult to remember you are yourself and not her.”

She put her head on one side. “I can see that when I look at the portrait of her that is in my chamber here. But my eyes are different. They are just like yours.”

Her aunt nodded. “There is an obvious and striking resemblance to both your parents, Elizabeth. I think it’s what helped to convince you that you belonged to the Osborne family, isn’t it?”

Elizabeth nodded vigorously. “Yes. But I am sorry my likeness causes you pain, Father. Are you sure you wish to talk about this?”

He sighed. “It is time you knew. Once it has been said, we will never mention the details again.”

She schooled her expression, wondering if she really wanted to know the circumstances of her birth, but she was curious about Mr. Darcy’s involvement, so she must listen carefully.

Her father rubbed his face. “Thinking about it all now, it probably seems a far-fetched tale, but I hope you will not think too badly of me for it.” He sat up straighter. “You probably don’t know you were born at Pemberley, which is the Darcy estate in Derbyshire.”

“Oh!” Elizabeth was surprised to hear it. “Why was my mother there when her confinement was so close?”

He shook his head. “It was not close, not at all.” His gaze became unfocussed.

“Your mother and the late Lady Anne Darcy were very great friends. They had their first season together and were presented at court on the same day. From that moment, they were the closest of friends. Lady Anne was a Fitzwilliam, and her father was the Earl of Matlock. Your mother was from the Bailey family, the daughter of the Earl of Cheddleton. Their estate is Consall Hall in Staffordshire, some twenty-five miles across the moors from Pemberley.”

Elizabeth got to her feet, and went to him. She touched his arm. “Thank you for being willing to talk about this, Father. But I think you might allow Uncle to call for a drink for you. It will fortify you for what seems to be a painful memory.”

“Thank you, my dear. You’re very thoughtful.”

A few minutes later, with fresh tea for her and Aunt Gardiner, and a glass of whisky by each gentleman, her father seemed to have regained his composure.

“Lady Anne and George Darcy were fortunate to have a son within two years of their marriage, but then she lost two children after that. It seemed at first that your mother and I were not to be blessed with children, but after nearly ten years of marriage, at last we seemed to be fortunate.” He smiled painfully again.

“You can imagine that I was perhaps rather over-protective of your mother, but she was like you, Elizabeth; a lively, energetic lady. When her friend lost their daughter, born too early, nothing would prevent her going to stay with her at Pemberley, to grieve with her.”

There was a long silence for a moment, and Elizabeth held her breath. Would Father be able to continue with the story?

He looked up again. “Your arrival was not expected until Christmas, so nobody thought you would be born that soon.” He reached out his hand to her.

“Even I wasn’t there. I had been called back to town on a matter of business, and had just started the journey back to Derbyshire to join Althea, and accompany her back to her family home, where she wished to be confined.

” He dropped his head into his hands. “Would that I had been two days earlier!” The despair in his voice tore at Elizabeth’s heart.

“Father! I don’t need to know this. Do not distress yourself so!” Her eyes were full of tears. If she had needed any evidence that her parents had a love match, it was here in front of her.

He jerked upright. “No, I must be strong for you.” He drew a deep breath. “I did not arrive in time to see your mother alive, and I confess I went at once to sit with her, and did not even ask after you, knowing you would have been too small to survive.” He drew her closer.

“I blamed George Darcy utterly. He had ridden to Lambton — the nearby village — for the apothecary, knowing the nearest physician would be many hours arriving. He’d sent his steward to Derby for the physician, in case he would be there in time.

But neither had arrived when she passed so quickly.

I could not believe that more effort had not been expended to save the dearest person I had ever loved.

Lady Anne was with her and that might have given me comfort, but I could not forgive myself that I had not been there for her when she needed me the most.” He drew a deep shuddering breath, and Elizabeth sat silently, hoping he’d be able to proceed with the story.

He still grasped her hand. “I sat with you after the burial, my dear, for many days. I was convinced that Lady Anne would claim you as her own lost child somehow — and that shows you how disordered my thinking was.” He smiled slightly.

“No one believed you would live, neither the nurse or the midwife, nor any of the doctors I summoned to your side. You were the tiniest child who lived and breathed and cried that I think any one of us had ever seen.”

He let go of her and picked up his glass. Elizabeth looked despairingly at Aunt Gardiner. She desperately wanted to hear the whole story, but equally, she was distressed by his own discomposure.

Her aunt rose to her feet. “Your Grace, I know Elizabeth is anxious to hear the rest of the story, but I think we all perhaps ought to take a short turn in the garden before you continue. I think it will ease both your minds.”

“Thank you, but no.” Father looked at Elizabeth.

“You are a strong young woman, as you have been from the moment you were born fighting for your life. I will tell you the rest. It will not be long. Then we will take your aunt’s excellent advice before I tell you the connection to young Darcy, and we will decide how we can keep you safe. ”

He sighed. “I could not leave you there at Pemberley. Forgive me, I could not leave you there, nor stay there with you past the first two weeks. I had a coach prepared and filled with warming pans. We wrapped you warmly and I tucked you inside my coat, tiny as you were, and raced for Cheddleton, despite all the dire predictions of the doctors, the nurses, the Baileys and the Darcys. I was blessed, and you survived. Not only that, you thrived.”

He smiled and glanced at Aunt Gardiner. “One of Althea’s distant cousins had just arrived, to introduce her new husband to the family.”

Uncle Gardiner chuckled. “Madeline lost her heart to you, Lizzy, the moment she saw you, and almost lived in the nursery for the duration of our visit.”

Elizabeth turned delightedly to her aunt. “So we are really related? Properly related?”

Her aunt embraced her. “Properly, truly. But you know, even if we were not, you live in our hearts and always will.”

Elizabeth blinked hard. She wouldn’t cry, she would not. Once she was composed, she turned back to the room. “I think we do need that turn in the gardens, Father. Then I will charge you to tell me why Mr. Darcy is a danger to me now. I cannot think he was more than a small child at that time.”

Her father looked slightly embarrassed. “After our stroll out, then I will tell you.”