12. Chapter 12
T hey rode out, Darcy and Matthew following Miss Elizabeth.
They crossed a bridge and came to a tenant farm.
There were some scattered leaves and limbs, but not very many.
Darcy could see a girl in the distance picking up debris.
When she noticed them, Miss Elizabeth waved.
The girl waved back and began walking toward the house.
Darcy dismounted and tied his horse to the post. He then walked over to assist Miss Elizabeth down from her horse. Once he was sure she was steady on her feet, he released her, but not before noticing the slight blush on her cheeks.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling, but avoiding his gaze.
Darcy gave a quick nod of acknowledgement, then tied her horse to the post.
They walked to the house and reached the door just as the girl did. She had honey-colored hair and brown eyes. Darcy thought she looked to be around his sister’s age.
“Hello, Miss Elizabeth!” she said cheerfully.
“Hello, Trudy! I hope you all are well,” Miss Elizabeth said.
“Oh, yes, we are. Come in, Mama is just inside,” Trudy said.
“Where is your brother, Trudy?” Matthew asked.
“He is in the stables making some repairs,” she said.
Matthew looked at Miss Elizabeth. “I will go take a look and greet Tom if you have no objection, Miss Lizzy,” Matthew said.
“That will be fine,” Miss Elizabeth said with a smile.
Matthew walked in the direction of the stables as Darcy followed Miss Elizabeth and Trudy into the house.
“Mama! Miss Elizabeth is here.”
They turned a corner into the kitchen, where they found a woman kneading dough. She had the same brown eyes, but her honey-colored hair was streaked with gray.
“Miss Elizabeth! You should not be out after such a storm checking on us,” the woman said.
“Of course I should!” Miss Elizabeth grinned at the woman. “Please allow me to introduce my companion. Mr. Darcy, this is Mrs. Glendale and her daughter, Trudy. Ladies, Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy bowed his head briefly. “How do you do?”
“Very well, thank you, sir,” Mrs. Glendale replied. “Please, will you both have a seat?”
"Forgive me, but we cannot stay. We are trying to get around to everyone, and I wanted to make sure that you all were well."
"Fortunately, we made out just fine."
“I am relieved to hear it. Did you sustain any damage to the house or the other buildings from the storm?” Miss Elizabeth asked.
“There were some boards that came loose in the stables, but Tom said it was minor. He figures he will have the repairs finished by the end of the day,” Mrs. Glendale said.
“That is good. Cook is going to make dinner for our tenants who were affected by the storm, and we will bring it to you this evening.”
“Oh no, Miss Elizabeth! Please, it is so kind of you, but it is not necessary.”
“We want to, though.”
“I know, but we have had no difficulty here at all since the storm. Truly!” Mrs. Glendale insisted. “But Mr. Quimby and his son have a more serious situation. A tree nearly fell on their house!”
“Goodness!”
“Yes, Miss Elizabeth, and they are just two bachelors over there. Please give them our portion. That way, they will have enough for several meals. I am well and able to cook for us, and I have Trudy to help,” Mrs. Glendale said.
“Very well, I shall do as you say,” Miss Elizabeth said with a smile.
"Thank you so much for checking on us."
Miss Elizabeth touched Mrs. Glendale’s shoulder and squeezed it. “I am sorry I cannot stay longer, but I am so glad you all are well. Take care.”
Mrs. Glendale nodded to Miss Elizabeth.
Darcy smiled at the woman. “Goodbye, Mrs. Glendale.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Darcy. Trudy, see them out, please.”
“Yes, Mama.”
They followed Trudy outside. Miss Elizabeth touched her arm. “Goodbye, Trudy.”
“Goodbye, Miss Elizabeth.”
Darcy nodded to the girl. “Miss Trudy.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Darcy.”
As they walked toward the horses, Darcy remarked on how pleasant Mrs. Glendale and her daughter were.
“Yes, they are. And it is just like her to refuse the meal and ask that it be given to someone else. She is always so gracious."
Darcy noticed Matthew standing near the horses, speaking with a man. The man’s hair seemed to be the same color as the ladies of the house, so he assumed this was Tom Glendale.
When they approached, Miss Elizabeth smiled and said, “Mr. Glendale, how do you do?”
He smiled back and said, “I do just fine, Miss Elizabeth, and yourself?
She chuckled. “Just fine.” She then turned to Darcy. “Mr. Darcy, this is Mr. Tom Glendale. Mr. Glendale, Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy gave a nod. “Mr. Glendale.”
“Mr. Darcy,” Tom Glendale replied with a nod.
Miss Elizabeth continued toward her horse, and Darcy followed.
Once she stood beside the mare, Darcy raised his brow to question if she was ready for his assistance.
She gave him a nod. He put his hands around her waist and lifted her onto the saddle.
He did not remove his hands until she indicated that she was steady.
Darcy then untied her horse and gave her the reins.
As Darcy untied and mounted his horse, he listened to the conversation between Miss Elizabeth and Tom Glendale.
“Mr. Glendale, your mother assures me you all came through the storm extremely well, except for some loose boards in the stables that you have practically repaired already. Do I have your word that is all? Because our fathers were long-time friends, Papa never fails to ask me if I am sure that you do not need anything.”
He chuckled. “I give you my word. Please tell your father that we are fine.”
“Very well. Goodbye,” Miss Elizabeth said with another smile for Tom Glendale as she turned her horse and urged it forward.
Darcy could see that Tom Glendale had trouble looking away from Miss Elizabeth, so he intervened.
“Mr. Glendale.”
When Tom Glendale’s eyes flew to his, Darcy raised a brow, letting the man know he saw it all. Darcy then gave him a curt nod.
“Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy heard Matthew and Tom Glendale say goodbye behind him as he rode off. He kept his steady pace until he caught up with Miss Elizabeth, who was waiting for them up ahead.
Darcy rode up beside her and Matthew a minute later.
“Shall we eat?” she asked them.
They agreed to the plan and dug into the sliced ham, sliced apples, cheese, and ginger cake. They washed it all down with cool water from their canteens.
“Whatever they had for luncheon in our absence could not possibly top what we just ate. This was very good,” Darcy said, taking another drink.
Matthew nodded his agreement as he finished his meal.
“I agree,” Miss Elizabeth said.
She finished the last few bites of her food, then they rode towards the next tenant farm.
As they traveled, they passed several felled trees and lots of debris. When they reached the Quimby farm, it was easy to see the Quimbys had a narrow escape.
The storm winds had felled an old oak that was only three feet shy of crashing into the house.
After introductions were made, Mr. Quimby told them of the storm and how loud the crash of the tree was when it hit the ground.
As they listened to the story, they stood around looking at the enormous tree.
“That was a close shave, Mr. Quimby,” Darcy said.
“Indeed, it was. Too close,” Mr. Quimby replied.
“Did the house fare well? Is the roof intact?” Darcy asked, still looking at the roofline in comparison with where the tree fell. He was amazed at how narrowly the tree missed the roof.
“Nothing appears to be amiss. My son climbed up there to confirm it.”
“That is good to hear. I will have some men come take care of the tree,” Miss Elizabeth said.
“We would be much obliged. But only after the more serious work has been done. I know there may be others who did not fare as well as we did. This tree can wait.”
“We will see what we can do. In the meantime, dinner is being prepared for you and your son. We will return with it this evening,” Miss Elizabeth assured him.
“That is very kind of you, Miss Elizabeth.”
“We are happy to do it, and we are so glad you both made it through safely.”
“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Quimby said.
“And, fair warning, Mr. Quimby, Mrs. Glendale has ordered me to bring you their portion as well, so I hope you and your son will be prepared to take on extra,” Miss Elizabeth teased.
He gave a short laugh. “I believe we can manage it!”
Miss Elizabeth laughed and said goodbye to Mr. Quimby.
Darcy and Matthew said goodbye as well.
As they walked to the horses, they suddenly came across the son. He seemed to materialize right in front of them. Darcy looked around, trying to determine where he had come from.
“Miss Elizabeth, please forgive me for missing your visit.” The man, who was similar in age to Miss Elizabeth, looked down at the ground as he spoke to her, his face beet-red.
“Not at all, Mr. Quimby,” she said.
The man nodded once and went away directly.
Miss Elizabeth watched him go, then met Darcy’s gaze and whispered, “He is very bashful.”
Darcy lifted his brows at that. “I see.”
Darcy could indeed see. He could see that every young man they had met with so far was enamored of Miss Elizabeth. He shook his head.
She smirked at him, and they continued walking to the horses.
When they arrived at the Camden’s, the flooded, low-lying part of the property came into view. Fortunately, the house, the grain barn, and the stables were on higher ground. They stopped their horses at a fence and tied them up there.
As they walked toward the house, they could see men on the roof working.
“Hello, Miss Elizabeth!” one man called.
“Miss Elizabeth?” another asked the first man in surprise. He then looked up, saw her for himself, and waved.
Darcy reckoned these two were also admirers.
She waved back. “Hello!”
Then, a third man sat back and called down to her. “Good day to you, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Good day, Mr. Camden. Did everyone fare well last night?” she asked.
The other two men got back to work as Mr. Camden turned to face them. “Yes, we did. And, your family?” he asked.