Page 47 of The Long Road Back to Yesterday

Kitty lifted Edward into her arms, and she and Mrs. Gardiner accompanied the party to the door. Before leaving, Caroline took little Edward's chubby hand in hers.

“Goodbye, Master Edward,” she cooed.

They all laughed when the little boy said, “Goodbye, Aunt Caroline.”

When they reached Hatchard's, a leaden weight settled upon Elizabeth's heart. Memories of the many visits she and her father had made to this beloved place through the years crowded her mind. She could picture him there among the books, waiting for her. She brushed away a tear and hurried to catch the others.

Mr. Bingley led the sisters to his favorite part of the shop, where engraved prints lined the shelves. He showed several to Jane before falling into an easy flirtation with his lady love. Elizabeth rejoiced to see Jane in such spirits.

She looked to Miss Bingley. “I am going to speak with the clerk. I seek a certain type of book, but I do not know whether such a volume exists or even how to ask for it.”

Miss Bingley's eyes brightened. “A mystery. May I come with you?”

“Yes, please come, but if I begin to weary you, do not fear giving offense. I know I can become rather single-minded. Just do as my dear Jane does and tell me you must go in search of something more diverting lest you go mad. I assure you, I do not mind such plain speaking. All my sisters speak so to me.”

“You are so very earnest, Eliza, that you are provoking me to laughter.”

Caroline slipped her arm through Elizabeth's, amused, and added, “Come, let us go forth to shop.”

Elizabeth found that Caroline Bingley was, in truth, a very fine lady, not deficient in good humor and fully capable of making herself agreeable. She had been a most charming neighbor and now proved herself a delightful companion.

When it was her turn, she said, “Sir, I am making a study of the folklore of the county of Derbyshire, as it relates to the stone circles and the henge of Arbor Low.”

“I cannot say whether any of the tomes we carry speak of legends or folklore, but we have several that treat of the places you wish to study. We have the Reverend Pegge's paper upon Arbor Low, madam, if your interest lies chiefly with Derbyshire. Please come this way.”

She and Miss Bingley followed the clerk. He searched through a stack of volumes before reaching to an upper shelf and withdrawing a leather-bound tome.

He handed it to Elizabeth. “This is Volume VI of the Archaeologia memoirs. It deals principally with an account of Arbor Low. Also included are A Disquisition on the Barrows and Illustrations of Druidical Remains.”

Elizabeth's hands trembled, and her heart raced as she held the very book she had hoped existed. It promised answers to many of the questions she longed to resolve. “I shall purchase this volume, sir. Have you others of a similar nature?”

“Yes, miss. If you would like to take this volume, you ladies may wait for me in those two chairs. I will bring what we have.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The ladies settled into the wooden chairs, and Elizabeth began to page through the volume.

“You are very taken with your book, Miss Eliza. It all sounds so very mysterious.”

Elizabeth raised her eyes and laughed. “I am hopelessly bookish, am I not? My mother often called me a bluestocking when she wished to humble my pretensions. She once heard my father use the term, and though I do not believe she knew precisely what a bluestocking was, she understood it had something to do with reading, a pastime she considered unsuitable for women.”

The clerk soon returned carrying four more books. He handed them to Elizabeth one by one.

“Miss, here is Stonehenge, A Temple Restored, written by Stukeley.” He handed it to her. “This one is Antiquities of the County of Cornwall by William Borlase. Though not about Derbyshire, it has valuable information.”

He handed her a third volume. “This is Britannia by William Camden. This edition contains the complete work, proceeding geographically through Britain, principally county by county.”

Elizabeth opened the volume. “My father has an excerpt from Britannia in his library, but it is a very limited portion. I had no idea the whole could be had in a single volume.”

He handed her the last book.

“And this is Observations on Popular Antiquities by John Brand. It is a collection of superstitions, fairy beliefs, ghost stories, omens, customs, and folk traditions.”

Elizabeth looked at the treasures she held. The books would cost her dearly, for they were beautifully bound in calf leather, but if she could pass through the veil and return to April, the month before Lydia brought about the fall of the Bennet family, no price was too great. She had Papa's money with her, the money Uncle Edward had found in Papa's desk.

She rose.

“Sir, I shall take them all and count myself a very fortunate woman.”