gift for you. But he says that if you do not like it, it is to be sent back.”
“A gift for Anne?” said Georgiana. “But what is it? And where is it?” and they looked round, expecting to see a parcel.
“It must be a book,” said Anne, trying to speak calmly. “We were speaking of several titles that—but he offered to lend them— there is no need, Mrs Caldwell, I will return it.”
“No,” said Mrs Caldwell, “It is not a book. It is—it is in the stable yard. And if—if Mr and Mrs Darcy do not quite like it, it is to be sent back.”
By this time, the curiosity of the rest of the party had been thoroughly aroused, and everyone wanted to see the mysterious object. They all accompanied Anne to the stable yard, Mr Darcy enquiring rather anxiously if his friend had given his cousin a horse? A groom was standing there, holding a swathed bundle.
“Are you not Mr Caldwell's servant?” Mr Darcy asked. “Hinkins, is it not?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, Hinkins, what have you got for us?”
The groom knelt down, opened the bundle, and put a small, white and brown puppy on the ground.
“Oh!” screamed Georgiana. “Oh! Anne!”
Anne fell on her knees. The little creature wagged its tail, and licked her hand. All the women made the kind of noises that ladies make, confronted with anything small and endearing. She patted it, and bent over it, trying to hide her face, for tears had sprung to her eyes.
“It be what they call a King Charles, sir,” the groom said.
“It will not grow very large, will it?” Darcy asked.
“No, sir. Quite small, they are. Not near so big as a regular spaniel.”
“And quite useless, I suspect.”
“No good for hunting, sir, they be a lady's dog, like—a pet.”
“A letter came, too,” Mrs Caldwell said. “My son says, 'Tell Miss de Bourgh that she does not walk enough, and Minette will see to it that she takes a walk every day.'”
“But…” said Mrs Darcy, glancing doubtfully at her husband, “I do not know whether…”
Anne, still kneeling, looked up at her over the little creature's head. Elizabeth saw her face, saw her tears, and read the whole story in her eyes.
“I know about it,” her husband said to her privately, later. “Caldwell came to me the morning he left. He has behaved very well. But I did not know, and neither, I think, did he, that it had gone so far with her.”
“We cannot do other,” Elizabeth said, “than let her keep the dog. It is the saddest thing!”
“I hate small dogs,” Darcy said. “How could this happen? They have only known each other a week or so.”
“I saw his face last night, while she was reading. And how long did it take you, to make up your mind about me?”
“I do not know. But I am sure that, after the ball at Netherfield, if I had not seen you again, it would all have been over. If you had not come to Hunsford while I was staying with my aunt…”
“So do you think,” said Elizabeth, “that if they do not meet again, it will be forgotten?”
“Caldwell knows that it would be a most unsuitable match. If he has made up his mind, he will make no attempt to see her. As for her, I do not know.”
“Nor I,” said Elizabeth. “I think she is a girl who feels things very deeply; I think none of us knows her. But I know that this business has hurt her.”
“I am sorry for it. But who could have known? I know one thing: I do not like the idea of sending her back to Rosings to pine. Perhaps her mother, even after she goes home, would allow Anne to make her home with us for a while. Meanwhile, this makes it all the more necessary to find someone suitable to marry her. A man of character would certainly not agree to go and live at Rosings, and Anne would have her own home, which is what she needs. Let me see, did not Sir Matthew Brocklebank dance with her the other night? He has no money, but there is the title, and he is a pleasant-looking fellow.”
“But he can talk of nothing but horses,” Elizabeth protested. “He never opens a book. If he knew that Anne is writing one, he would be too frightened to speak to her, let alone ask her to marry him.”
“There was Mr Kirkman, he is bookish enough. A widower, but that might suit Anne very well; she is not so young, now. There are few men of five-and-twenty still unmarried.”
“But she is becoming quite pretty, I think, with those large dark eyes and her chestnut hair. There is a bronze-green silk being made up for her, for Lady Louisa's ball; I think she will look quite lovely in it.”
“How about that older brother who is staying at the Rectory with Mr Granby? He will inherit the baronetcy one day.”
“Yes, and it would be pleasant to have her married to the Rector's brother,” said Elizabeth. “But although Anne danced with all three of them, I do not believe she even noticed them. And meanwhile, I think we must let her keep the dog, for she needs something to love.”
“I can see very well that Georgiana will want one, too. It is very unjust that a man should have his house filled with small animals, only because his cousin is crossed in love.”
In view of the size of Pemberley, Elizabeth thought this something of an exaggeration, and said so.
“Oh, very well, very well; since she and Georgiana have been playing with the creature all evening, I suppose it must stay,” Darcy said, resignedly. “It could be worse; at least Caldwell had the sense not to give her a pug.”
Chapter 16
Now that she had some money, Anne was able to be generous with the servants, and it was not hard to find a footman who liked dogs, and was happy to care for Minette. Anne quickly learned the advantage of having a dog: she must walk now, whether she would or no; if the little creature did not have its exercise, it would not be healthy. Three days later, it was wet and showery; they did not ride, but Minette must have her walk. Anne came in, a little damp but smiling, to find that Miss Rackham had arrived to spend the day with Georgiana, and the Caldwells were making ready to depart.
“My dear,” Mrs Caldwell said, “would you do us a very great favour? Would you lend us the sheets of your story, as far as has been read to this point? We will take very great care of them, and return them in a short while; but we would so much like to read them again.”
Anne agreed readily, delighted to find that her story had such a power of commanding interest, and knowing that with such people as these, her precious manuscript would be safe. She would have liked to ask if Edmund might be interested to read it, but could not trust her voice in asking. She bade them farewell with real regret.
Scarcely had the sound of their carriage ceased to be heard down the avenue, than the noise of another could be heard approaching. Anne, feeling that she wanted solitude, instantly resolved to take refuge in the library. Soon she was at her table, and Minette, dry and warm, was in the basket provided for her. Mr Bennet, with the same instinct, had made for his armchair; they never disturbed each other. But Minette would not stay in the basket, and whined to be picked up. Only to keep her quiet, Anne took the little dog onto her knee, and sat, stroking its warm, silky coat. She had seldom held a little creature like this before, and never for very long. The sensation was delightful. And Minette was her own, her very own! Only Edmund, she thought, could have made her such a perfect gift. Only Edmund… but her thoughts were interrupted. The butler approached: “If you please, miss, there are some visitors here, who are asking for you.”
“Who is it, Forrest?”
“The Duchess of Stilbury, miss, and Lord Francis Meaburn. Mr and Mrs Darcy are with them, and Miss Georgiana, but they have asked for you especially.”
“Of course, they are acquainted with my mother. I will come at once.”
It was strange, but she felt perfectly capable, now, of meeting with complete strangers. Since she was the granddaughter of a nobleman, and the daughter of a Baronet, rank in itself did not particularly frighten her, and her improved health and looks had given her a confidence she had never previously known.
