Page 36 of The Heir and Spare
Soon they were each out and standing slightly up the road on a dry spot. But now what to do with them? No cart would be able to navigate these roads and paths very well. And from the looks of things, many more would need assistance. He’d best be walking back toward the house and then enlisting the servants and sending word to the town and the vicar.
He whistled for his horse who had not gone far. But when he approached the small family with Samson at his side, they all crouched away in fear.
“Oh, Mr. Darcy. I don’t know about him.” Mrs. Gallagher clutched her baby to her. The younger one clung to her skirts, and Leroy stood close by. He seemed the least worried but was still not comfortable by any stretch.
“He’s very obedient.” He patted his side. “Would you like to touch him?”
The horse shuffled his feet right then, likely a bit unnerved by their fear.
“Whoa, boy.” He rubbed his nose. But the horse seemed unsettled.
He nodded. “Looks like we might be walking.” He turned to Mrs. Gallagher. “Can you do so?”
“We can try.” She looked back to her home. “Should we try to send word to David?”
“We should. But let’s get you back first and I’ll send a lot more than word.”
She paused a moment more and then nodded. “Let’s be off, then. Children. Be strong. We have a lot of walking to do with good Mr. Darcy.”
He crouched down to the little one at her skirts. “Could I put you on my shoulders, little one?”
Leroy nodded. “Yes, Frankie. Mr. Darcy is a real good one.”
Frankie hesitated a moment but then smiled and nodded.
Within moments Darcy and Frankie, Mrs. Gallagher and the baby, and Leroy were walking the path back to the house with Samson following a short distance behind. It was not going to be the shortest walk of their lives but at least they weren’t miles and miles away.
When they at last approached the house, Darcy had the baby in his arms as well as Frankie on his shoulders. The lad was clutching his hair in handfuls. Mrs. Gallagher had a good hold of Leroy’s hand and steadied herself on his shoulder now and again. “We are at last approaching.” He breathed out some ofhis worry in a great sense of relief. The back doors opened and servants came flooding out.
“Oh, Mr. Darcy!” Their housekeeper was a gem of a woman, and she immediately reached for the baby. “Mrs. Gallagher, come inside. You all must warm yourselves.”
Darcy thanked her and then asked, “Please. Where is my brother?”
“In the main dining room, if it please you.” The maid who answered bobbed a curtsey and took Frankie into her arms.
He made his way directly to the dining room. Perhaps more care could be taken with the floors and the mud that undeniably made its way into the house, but he was in a hurry and he needed to get things moving…and he wished to share a few words with his brother who was apparently at dinner.
He waved away the footmen who moved as though to open doors and announce him. But as soon as he stepped into the room, he could see why they were standing on formality that evening.
Everyone in the room stood.
And everyone looked quite amazed as they stared at him.
Miss Elizabeth was perhaps more stunning than he had yet seen her. And he couldn’t account for her presence, nor for her seat to the right of his brother, nor for the presence of all her sisters. He opened his mouth and then closed it twice before shaking his head. “Brother?”
Miss Elizabeth looked from one to the other in great confusion.
Georgiana’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she brought a hand to her mouth. “Arthur…” She pointed up to his hair. He belatedly remembered Frankie’s fistfuls of hair surely restyling his in an unrecognizable manner.
“Arthur?” Miss Elizabeth turned to his brother. “And forgive me. You’re Fitzwilliam?”
“I am.” He dipped his head. “I should introduce you to the final Darcy sibling. This is my brother Arthur.”
She nodded, swallowed once and then curtseyed. “You’re twins.”
“Yes, we are. I…” Fitz looked from Miss Elizabeth to Arthur and back. “Are you two acquainted?”
She gripped her hands together at her front and exchanged a look with Miss Mary then she turned to Georgiana. She pointed to Fitz. “The spontaneous one?”
