Page 53 of His Dark Heart
Elizabeth laughed. “I wager you are right.”
They came upon a gate in the wall that Elizabeth had never noticed before. Nay, she was certain she had never been this far from the house before, and the rickety old gate did not seem as though it led to anything more than more woods on the other side of the wall. Why would a gate be placed here? And why would the path lead to nothing but this gate?
“This is where I must leave you, dearest, but do keep in mind what I said.”
“Which was?”
“You and the prince are fated, my lady. There will be trials ahead. Do not forget that they are just that: trials to be borne.”
With that, Gloriana walked through the gate and was swallowed by the woods, leaving Elizabeth completely alone.
Chapter Ten
“Jane, how shall I know when I am with child?” Elizabeth asked as she and Jane sat in the atrium and darned socks for some of the village children. “I was at the birth of Mrs. Fenner's babe and it was frightful, but he was large, or so the physician said. I pray I do not have such a child. I might burst.”
Jane smiled and set her work on her lap. “Our bodies are designed for such a task, my lady. But, to answer your question, your cycle will stop.”
“Oh! I am near to my beginning. Do ye think I shall know soon?”
“Very possibly.”
“Wonderful! It would be such a gift for my lord.”
“What about yourself? Would you not welcome a child?”
“I think I would. When we were attacked, a sword was pressed into my womb, and all I could think of was what if it hurt my babe? How would I live with myself knowing I could not protect him?”
“I think you will make an excellent mother,” Jane said. Although she smiled, a sadness filled her eyes.
A sense of dismay washed over Elizabeth and her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh, lord! Jane! How sorry I am! I did not mean to dredge up those awful memories for ye. Pray forgive me.”
“Already achieved, my lady. It was a long time ago.”
Elizabeth bit her lip and looked away from her friend, her unspeakable question hanging in the air between them.
“No, I cannot carry a child. It is fine, though. We have long since accepted our fate, my lady. It is difficult at times, but I manage. When my sister, Mary Collins, had her son, I was a bit jealous, but Alexander is such a lovely child that one cannot help but adore him.”
The princess held out her hand. “Ye are a goodly woman, Lady Jane. I am proud to call ye a friend.”
“Pardon me, Mistress, but the Master requests your presence in the Hall,” one of the maids said from the door.
Elizabeth nodded, and she and Jane made their way through the passages of Pemberley, with Samuel following a respectable distance behind. Somehow, Darcy had not caught wind of Elizabeth’s escape from the guard, and they had agreed it was better not to mention it further. The group reached the tunnel that connected the great house to the Hall and forged ahead, coming out behind the dais that held Darcy’s throne.
Three huge fireplaces all burned with great fires, but a chill remained in the air as the banner with the Darcy family seal fluttered lightly above. Except for business and the occasional reception, Elizabeth avoided this room like the plague. It was the place where she had seen Darcy as the man who had conquered her instead of the man who held her tenderly.
Over the last two weeks, she had noticed the distinction between the two men that seemed to reside within the same body. When others were present, he was the man she had met at the Assembly oh so very long ago: the cold, trying man with the iron will, but when there was no chance of others seeing him, he coddled her, smiled, even occasionally laughed with her and showed infinite patience. He was a conundrum, a puzzle that she was pained to have to solve, despite knowing that the resolution would have incredible results.
“My lord, ye sent for me?” she asked.
He was bent over a parchment, his steward hovering nearby. He looked up, his eyes briefly flashing warmth before they resumed their flinty stare. Curtly, he held out his hand and waved her over.
“Yes, my lord?” She asked once she beside him.
“Your throne has arrived, my lady.”
There, on the dais next to his large, gilded, intricately carved throne was a small, cushioned seat that barely compared. It was elegant to be sure, but it lacked the same command, the same power he seemed to present merely by existing. Of course, he outranked her and that was fine, but having become quite used to her high station, Elizabeth had to admit she was disappointed.
“That is it?”
