The Road to Pemberley (61 page)

Darcy did feel the baby, poking and jabbing at him. “Does that hurt, my love?” he asked, looking a little squeamish but smiling nonetheless.

Elizabeth shook her head, “It mostly tickles, although sometimes the tyke gets a good shot in. It is, however, a very reassuring feeling.”

Darcy's smile faded. He leaned over and kissed Elizabeth tenderly, as he whispered, “My dearest.”

“What is the matter, Fitzwilliam?” she inquired.

Darcy shook his head. “Had I only known back then the things I know now, I would not have given my father grief. He must have been concerned about my mother, and about the baby. Instead of being allowed to attend to his obligations and worries, he had to contend with the antics of a spoiled boy.” Darcy heaved a sigh as he thought of his father, but his smile reappeared as he felt his own child move once more against his hand, reassuring him that everything was well.

Despite the looming threat of parental chastisement, Darcy and Richard continued to pull pranks on Edward. His irritation upon discovering their chicanery was too amusing to resist. For Richard, it was a matter of payback for Edward being the older brother. For Darcy, it was merely good sport.

Edward fancied himself a fearless hunter, for he had been on a hunt with his father and Mr. Darcy earlier that year. He delighted in tormenting the younger boys with the fact that he was of an age to be taken on such prestigious outings, while they were still infants, as he liked to call them. This caused great vexation for the younger boys.

During the summer months, bats had been known to hide in the attics of Pemberley house. That summer had been no different, and Mr. Darcy warned the children that if they saw any, they must tell him immediately, and never touch the creatures, for fear they would be bitten.

The younger boys delighted as Mr. Darcy told them this, especially when they saw Edward shiver in disgust at the thought of encountering such vermin. Later that night, when everyone was in bed, there was a knock on young Darcy's bedchamber door. He scurried from his bed and opened the door, and Richard stealthily slipped into the room.

“Wills, did you see? Edward is afraid of the bats!”

“I do not blame him, Richard. I have seen one and the sight of them makes your skin crawl.” Darcy shook off the shiver that invaded his body.

Richard made a determined face. “Edward does not know that we fear them! I have an idea, but I need your help.”

“Oh no!” Darcy resolutely shook his head. “I am not capturing any bats!”

Richard folded his arms across his chest. “I did not know you were such a coward, Wills!”

“A coward, me?” Darcy was incredulous. “Surely you are making a joke.”

“Then you will help me?” Richard asked with glee.

Darcy nodded his head and then decided he would visit the library in the morning and restock his room with a few more good books. He had a feeling that when his father found out what they were up to, he would be spending more time in solitary.

The next morning, the boys were up early and stole out of the house before being missed. They ran down the lawn and stopped under a large pine tree, looking underneath for a pinecone that would be precisely the right size. Darcy picked up a perfect specimen and shoved it in the pocket of his coat.

After breakfast, the boys went to their rooms to gather their arsenal for play. Edward entered his bedchamber, followed by Darcy.

“What?” Edward said as he scowled at the younger boy.

Darcy shrugged. “Nothing. I thought today you could be Robin of Loxley.”

“Really?” Edward said and grinned. He no sooner began to rejoice at his good fortune than Richard came running into his bedchamber, looking ghastly.

“Edward! There in my room!” Richard pointed hysterically. Edward gasped. “What? What is it?”

“Something on the floor of my bedchamber!” Richard yelled. “You must go and fetch it!”

“I am not going to fetch it!” Edward screamed back. “It is probably a bat!”

Darcy stood behind Edward and nearly laughed at his older cousin's distress. “You are the oldest, and besides you are a fine hunter, or so you say,” Darcy taunted him. “Richard and I are merely infants!”

“That is right! You
are
infants!” Edward said, sneering.

“Well, I am not afraid of a flying rodent!” Darcy went to Edward's bureau and found a small box on top of it. He emptied it of its contents and he opened the secretary drawer and took out a few sheets of paper.

“What are you doing?” Edward yelped as he watched his younger cousin.

“I am going to catch it in this box. I shall put the box over it, slide the paper underneath, and turn the whole thing over. Then I shall take the poor creature outside and let it go!”

Edward stood with his mouth open as he watched Darcy leave the room. Richard began to follow his younger cousin. “Richard! Where are you going?”

“I am going to help Wills catch the beasty,” Richard said matterof-factly.

“You are out of your minds!” Edward screeched.

“And you are fainthearted!” Richard lambasted his brother.

Edward was beside himself. He had boasted of his courage and daring to his younger sibling and cousin. Now here he was, standing idly by as the younger boys risked life and limb to rid the household of a scourge.

Darcy returned to Edward's room within a few minutes, with the box in his hand and the paper over it. “I got it!” he exclaimed with a grin.

“Nay, you are pulling my leg, you are!” Edward smiled. “There is nothing in that box.”

“There is so!” Darcy protested. “Here, take a look!”

Darcy moved forward and slid the paper off the box a bit. Edward backed up and nearly fell on his backside in his haste to get away. “You are bluffing! There is nothing in that box!”

Darcy took the box and tilted it to the side. Edward heard something in the box scratching, and then bump the other side of the box. Edward's eyes opened wide and he started backing up farther and faster.

“Do you not want to see it, Edward?” Richard asked with a grin. “I saw it in my room. It is black and ugly, with big wings and fangs!” Richard imitated the creature the best he could.

“Uh…n-no…no…” Edward stammered, as the panic in him grew worse. “Get it
out
of here!”

Darcy moved the paper away from the box a little more and looked inside. “It looks harmless enough.”

Edward became desperate. “Wills, take it away! It will surely bite you, and then you will be frothing at the mouth!”

“Not from a little thing like this!” Darcy grinned and pulled the paper from the box. He looked inside, and then with a jump, heaved the box up, letting its contents fly out in Edward's direction.

Edward shrieked and fell to the floor, and then quickly crawled out of the room, screaming at the tops of his lungs. The younger boys were overcome with delight as they fell onto Edward's bed in fits of laughter.

Richard ran over and picked up the pinecone from the floor and held it in the air. “Some great hunter he turned out to be! Afraid of a big, ugly pinecone!”

The boys had planned to run into Lambton that day to play cricket on the green. Young Wickham had told them a few of the boys from the village were organizing a game and all those willing and able were to be invited.

When they arrived at the green that morning, the scene looked like a knightly tournament, with young men waiting to show their expertise at sport, and young ladies lined up along the sides of the field to cheer on their favorites. Miss Mary Chaney was there, eager to see young Richard Fitzwilliam. Richard obliged the young lady, walking over to where she stood with her friends and taking a moment to play the flirting game, which he had tried to explain to Darcy after the assembly, but to no avail.

Darcy stood some ways back and watched his cousin's amiable nature with those of the opposite sex. It was no matter whether young Darcy wished to participate in this particular game; in his opinion, he would never have a talent for it. He noticed Miss Annabelle Martin amongst the girls, and for some reason he felt obliged to make sure she noticed his presence. Edward threw Darcy a ball, and Darcy began to make several practice bowls, while Edward took a few swings.

Darcy was convinced that there was no better way for a chap to be noticed by a girl, than while engaged in a little sport. Each time he bowled, he would steal a glance over in Miss Martin's direction, to make sure she was thoroughly impressed with the figure he cut
on the playing field. Miss Martin watched and smiled as Master Darcy did his best to look impressive for her benefit. Darcy was annoyed, however, when young Wickham made his way over to the group of girls and began to monopolize their attentions.

Darcy bowled the ball again, and then looked over in Miss Martin's direction, only to see her laughing and her eyes sparkling at the amiable conversation of George Wickham. Edward hit the ball and it went flying in Darcy's direction.

“Look out, Wills!” Edward yelled, and Darcy fell to the ground just in time to avoid having his bell rung, much to his embarrassment.

When Darcy scrambled to his feet, he stormed over to where Wickham and Richard were entertaining the girls.

“Are we going to play this game?” he huffed. “Or are you going to lollygag all day?”

Darcy was selected the captain of one team and Robert Leyton the captain of the other. Young Leyton was a year older than Darcy, and the two boys were neighbors, although they did not play much together. Leyton's father and Mr. Darcy were not the best of friends, even though their estates bordered each other's. The Darcys and the Leytons had been involved in many land disputes throughout the years, going back as far as the boys' great-grandfathers. It seemed, in the opinion of the Darcys, that the Leytons were always making claim to Pemberley lands. The feud had been perpetuated throughout the years, but both boys knew little of the particulars, only that their families were not on good terms.

Wickham was chosen as umpire, much to the chagrin of both captains, for Wickham was known to make questionable calls. The teams were nominated, and play commenced near noon that day. The constable was taking his midday turn about Lambton when he stopped to watch the friendly play on the green. Seeing no
problems, he decided to continue on, although he decided it best to come back by the green after some time.

Unbeknownst to Darcy and his cousins, there had been a match a fortnight earlier, which had turned into an all-out brawl. The constable was in no humor to see the same thing happen on this day, and he swore to himself that if there was any mischief, someone would face the consequences.

The midday sun beat down on the green, and after about an hour, most of the boys began to feel hot and testy. There were a few occasions when Darcy and Leyton argued over a call of Wickham's. However, Edward, Richard, and a few friends of Leyton's did their best to keep the peace.

A new boy walked onto the field for Leyton's side, and upon seeing this, Darcy ran over to Wickham.

“Who is he?” Darcy questioned in annoyance.

Leyton came out onto the field and said, “I am making a change in players!”

“You cannot do that!” Darcy looked at Wickham. “I say, he cannot do that! It is against the rules!”