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He sat upon the threshold, occupying almost all of it.

“That will make it difficult for anyone else to visit.”

“He thinks he has arrived first, miss,” Sally said.

“He generally thinks he has the better claim.”

Anna leaned toward the dog. Elizabeth held her more firmly and let her look without allowing either creature to reach the other. Sir sighed, lay down, and rested his chin upon the sill.

After a little while the child began to rub her face against Elizabeth’s sleeve. Ruth stood and held out her arms.

“She is ready for me now.”

Elizabeth gave her up at once. Anna settled against Ruth with the familiarity of one who knew precisely what she wanted and expected to receive it. There was comfort in watching that expectation answered.

“I shall take her into the other room,” Ruth said.

Martha opened the inner door for them. Elizabeth rose, and Sally took the shawl from the table and handed it to her.

“We must not keep you from your work.”

“You never keep me from it, miss. I can sew and talk.”

“Then I shall come another day and try whether I can manage both as well as you.”

“We shall be glad of you.”

Martha said it simply. Elizabeth thanked her and went out, persuading Sir to move by the only means he consistently respected: she walked away without him.

He overtook them before the gate.

Upon the return path Elizabeth gave Sally her attention when the maid spoke of the linen cupboard. Mrs. Reynolds had allowed her to prepare the list herself that morning. She had omitted two pillowcases, discovered the mistake, and corrected it before anyone went upstairs with the wrong number.

“She said I should check the shelf as well as the paper next time,” Sally concluded.

“A very good plan.”

“I shall, miss.”

Elizabeth smiled at her certainty. An error found early could still be useful. She wished she had been as prompt in discovering her own.

At the house she went straight to Jane and delivered the exact account of the weather she had promised. Jane decided upon a short turn on the terrace, and Charles was delighted to accompany her. Elizabeth watched him wrap the shawl about his wife before offering his arm.

Mr. Darcy joined them in the hall. When Jane mentioned her walk, he asked a footman to set a chair at the farther end of the terrace, should she wish to rest before coming back. Elizabeth thanked him, and found she could do so without immediately searching for a fault to set against the kindness.

She was glad of the difference. Yet the explanation of Anna’s birth had left one question unanswered. Martha had welcomed her at the cottage. Jane had a room prepared for her child. Somewhere in this great house there must once have been a nursery for Georgiana Darcy.

Elizabeth could not forget the little hand reaching back toward her uncle as he sent her away.

Chapter Twenty-four

THOMAS HARGREAVES HAD put a small wooden shelf too low upon the wall.

Darcy could see the difficulty before the man explained it. Anna sat upon Martha’s lap within reach of a folded cloth, and every time Martha turned her head the child leaned forward and attempted to pull it down.

“It was very convenient last month,” Thomas said.

“Last month she did not know it was there,” Martha replied.