“Yet you did not reveal the truth of your feelings regarding Netherfield nor leaving Hertfordshire,” Lizzy said softly. Jane flushed and hung her head. Lizzy reached up and clasped her sister's hand, squeezing firmly. “Jane, I love you and appreciate your reticence; however, it can be hindering. You cannot deny your intrinsic nature, but you must learn to overcome to a degree. Charles deserves your whole heart and soul, as you do his.”

“Lizzy, what if he thinks ill of me? Do you not fear this with Mr. Darcy? That if you tell all he will be wounded or falter in his love for you?”

“Jane! That is ridiculous! Mr. Bingley adores you. The man mourned for months without you in his life. I rather doubt he will be dismayed to discover you have a fault or two! Do you not trust his devotion?”

“Of course I do!”

“Then stop being so silly. You cast negative aspersions on his character by not having faith in his love and commitment.”

Jane was pale, staring at Lizzy with dawning comprehension. “I never considered it that way,” she whispered. “Oh Lizzy, I am such a fool. Charles is the best of men and I love him unconditionally, faults and all. Assuredly he loves me the same.” Suddenly she giggled with an edge of hysteria, covering her mouth with one hand. “You see, I am a terrible wife!” She looked at Lizzy curiously, still giggling, “How do you know these pearls of wisdom, Lizzy?”

Lizzy laughed. “Wisdom bought with a tremendous price, Jane. You know what William and I suffered. I suppose the benefit to our tumultuous courtship was the trial-by-fire aspect of it all. We learned our lessons via grievous methods, but we did learn them.”

Chapter Twenty

The Cavern at Pemberley

For the final hour of the afternoon the picnickers broke up into three groups.

Charles and Dr. Penaflor caught a dozen impressive trout and carp, a couple perch, and even one yellow eel. Jane and Anne strolled leisurely about the lake edge, neither desirous of a strenuous trudge through the wood, eventually meandering to the island. Charles greeted his wife with effusive delight, proudly displaying his catch. Dr. Penaflor was more restrained but sincere in his happiness to see Anne. Before long, the ladies were sharing the rocks with the men, learning the fine art of catching fish. Jane had some childhood experience, but for Anne the activity was novel. She sat next to Raul, not touching but close enough to feel the heat of him, their hands brushing on occasion as he demonstrated the nuances of casting and baiting. Conversation flowed, and Anne would forever recall that lazy, hot afternoon as a turning point in her relationship with Raul.

Dr. Darcy, in the meantime, set off on his own exploring. He tramped far afield, past memories of rambles through these woods swathing him in peace. He returned long after the others were all back and reclining on the blankets, his arms loaded with a profusion of wildflowers utilized to grandly decorate and crown each lady with color.

A walk along the forest trail leading to the cave was embarked upon by Darcy, Lizzy, Richard, Georgiana, Caroline, and Kitty. The cave explorers set out with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Lizzy and Kitty were exuberant. Darcy was mildly concerned, as all of the ladies wore soft-soled slippers and areas of the path were rough with gravel or slick with decaying leaves and mud. Georgiana and Caroline seemed to have joined the excursion by default. Colonel Fitzwilliam was jolly as usual, happily lending an arm to whoever asked.

Darcy kept near Lizzy, attempting to secure a hand or arm; however, she was forever slithering away from his side to investigate a plant or colorful stone along the way. The trail to the cave and small cavern was only some quarter mile in length, easy for Lizzy and the girls. Caroline, in contrast, considered walking over anything coarser than cobblestones or longer than the distance between one shop and the next an utterly foolhardy undertaking. Yet, she had tagged along and was not grousing, at least not too inordinately!

Derbyshire boasted a number of truly astounding caverns, renowned throughout England and visited and explored by peoples from far away. Noted primarily were the Creswell Crags and Poole's Cavern, among others, but none of the famous or amazing caves were located on Pemberley lands. This modest subterranean grotto present at the base of a craggy hill amid the forest featured no glittering stalactites or bizarre formations.

The wood opened abruptly into a vague clearing with slender trees and shrubs interspersed amongst fallen stones. The cave entrance was approximately eight feet high and a rough triangle shape, with uneven edges of grey rock framing the yawning mouth chiseled into the face of the enormous stone cliff. They paused, gazing with vastly differing impressions, as Darcy explained that the morning sun illuminated the stony façade, rendering the grey limestone nearly white and piercing the shadows inside the cave. Now, in late afternoon, the gaping chasm was black as night.

Caroline immediately sat onto a flat rock at the edge of the clearing, rubbing her aching feet, and ignoring the cave. Georgiana paled at her first glance into the inky hole, instinctively stepping backwards and into the chest of her cousin Richard. He embraced her with a gentle pat and low chuckle. “Fear not, little mouse, you do not need to enter in.” Georgiana visibly sagged into his arms with relief. Lizzy and Kitty slowed their pace but approached with awe and curiosity.

Darcy grabbed Lizzy's elbow. “Wait, love. Let us investigate first. In the past the cave has been safe and vacant, but we must be certain.” He bent to light the Argand oil lamp he had brought along, Richard lighting his as well. The men disappeared into the black entrance, descending a short distance with the sporadic flash of their lamps visible as they moved about. It was only minutes until Darcy reappeared, beckoning to Lizzy and Kitty.

“Take my hand, Elizabeth, it is rocky here.” He assisted her down the initial incline, lifting her bodily twice over the fallen boulders and calcified formations clogging the immediate entryway. Some five feet into the cave the floor flattened into a relatively level expanse of solid rock with patches of sandy dirt. The cave was irregular, approximately sixty feet at the widest, the asymmetrical ceiling ten to twelve feet at the most, and several narrow cracks and side passages fractured the walls. Richard stood with both lamps in his hands, casting wavering illumination about the room.

Darcy turned to help Kitty while Lizzy investigated. The cave itself was fairly unremarkable. The rock was the same grey limestone with grains of sparkling granite, smooth in places but mostly naturally rough. Lizzy was surprised at how cool it was inside the cavern, the rock almost cold to touch and slightly moist in spots with blotches of phosphorescent moss.

“Minute cracks allow water to seep through,” Darcy spoke into her ear, startling her, “rendering the stone slick and very cold. It is too dim for vegetation to grow but certain mosses do not require light and, as you see, tend to glow.” His arm was around her waist, pulling her slightly into his chest while he traced the ribbons of faint green with a finger. He planted several soft kisses by her ear, murmuring, “Are you afraid at all?”

She looked at him in surprise, his eyes black in the shadows. “Afraid? Why would I be afraid?”

He chuckled. “No offense intended, my brave love, it is just that some, Georgiana for instance, become unhinged at the closed atmosphere and sensation of vast weight surrounding them. I have always rather appreciated the damp air and tranquility that pervades.”

“How far have you explored the passageways?”

“They do not extend any great distance and are all very narrow. Only one would allow my bulk to pass now. Even you, my svelte darling, would be hard pressed to wiggle through the others. I warned you it was not a particularly exciting example.” They walked around the perimeter, Kitty and Richard meandering as well. “Nonetheless, as a boy it was an adventurous place and an opportune location to cool off on a hot summer day. Ah, here is the widest passage. Take my hand, love.” He lifted the lamp and turned sideways, crouching a bit in order to squeeze through the constricted corridor. Lizzy managed easily, but thankfully the journey was only a few feet as Darcy was decidedly struggling.

The second chamber was some twenty feet in a vague triangle, the ceiling brushing the top of Darcy's head. At first glance, this room, as the previous, appeared unremarkable. Then Darcy led his wife to the far wall and shone his light upon a smoothly polished, flat expanse of rock.

“Look closely,” he said, pointing with one long finger. Etched into the wall were several names: Richard Fitzwilliam, Gerald Vernor, Albert Hughes, George Wickham, Anne de Bourgh, and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Lizzy touched the names, smiling. Darcy then indicated another group of carved names: James Darcy, George Darcy, Alex Darcy, and Estella Darcy. On and on it went about the room, names extending back for generations.

“It is an initiation of sorts,” he explained. “A Darcy tradition. Not just anyone could carve his or her name here. For instance, Georgiana's name is not listed. One had to camp here for the night. I was eleven the year we first stayed. Anne was visiting, although I have no doubt Lady Catherine would still attempt to thrash us all if she knew Anne had camped in a cave!” He laughed. “She was only ten and very brave. It is actually quite cozy. Here is the fire ring.” He knelt before a niche cut into the stone; charred pieces of old wood a reminder of past adventures. “There is a natural flue here so the room remains smoke free. We, like countless other children before, would bring blankets and food, tell scary stories until late into the night when sheer exhaustion overcame the fear or will to welcome the dawn.” He stood, laughing in memory. “Richard was always the best storyteller. I can be dramatic but I have little spontaneous imagination. Shocking, I know.”