Page 39 of Losing Lizzy
“You really my papa?”
“Most assuredly.”
“We find Mama?” she asked as she snuggled deeper into his warmth.
“We must wait until the wind passes,” he said as he turned his steps toward where he had left the dinghy. “But we have a blanket and some bread and cheese and what your mama says is your favorite doll to keep us company until we may leave this place.”
“I love Mama,” she said against the lawn of his shirt.
“I love your mama, also,” he said kissing her dark curls. He had not had a good look at all of her features, but, from what he could tell, she was formed in the image of his grandmother, Emilia Darcy. There was a portrait of Emilia in the Pemberley gallery, and he anticipated the pleasure of having a picnic lunch with his daughter before the portrait and telling Elizabeth Anne of the remarkable woman who was his daughter’s great-grandmother.
“I love Uncle Allbirk, too,” she said through a muffled sigh.
“He is one of my favorites, as well,” he shared. If Albert Sheffield asked for the moon, Darcy would attempt to package it up for him.
When they reached where he had left the boat, he retrieved the blanket and the doll and food. Wrapping his child in the blanket to keep her warmer, he set her out of the way of the wind.Then, he tore off some of the bread. “You hold your doll and eat, while your papa builds up some place to hide from the storm.”
“Yes, Papa.” Those two words reached into his chest and took root, bringing love back into his life. She was too young to understand how a man thought to be dead could finally be so full of life. All Elizabeth Anne knew was her mama had given him the secret words, which meant he could be her “papa.” It was an idea that made his chest swell with pride.
While his daughter watched, he tugged the boat closer to a rock formation and tilted it upward to lean against the rocks, but be out of the way of the wind. The inside faced the rocks. “Are you prepared to crawl into your papa’s special hiding place?”
She eyed the structure skeptically, but she followed him inside. He crossed his legs and set the blanket on his lap. Placing her in the middle of it, he draped the ends around her and leaned against the rocks to support himself and her. “Is that not better?” he asked, breaking off some of the cheese and handing it to her.
“You make a ‘pecial hidin’ place before?” She took a big bite of the cheese.
He caressed her head and rested it against his chest. “When your papa was a little older than you, my mama and papa would use blankets to make special hiding places in my nursery. We would sit together, just like you and I are right this minute, and we would have cakes and play games. Those were some of my best memories.” Memories he would enjoy replicating with his child.
“Mama say you like tapple tarts, like me,” she said around a mouthful of bread.
It should not surprise Darcy that Elizabeth had taken note of his food preferences, but it did. Moreover, it pleased him she had shared bits of him with their daughter. “Apple tarts are my favorite.”
“Uncle Allbirk likes berry bread best.”
“Yes, he does. Thank you for reminding me of that fact.” He kissed the top of her head.
“This is Miss Jane.” She handed him her doll.
Darcy said, “Miss Jane is the name of your mama’s sister.” He wondered if Elizabeth had suggested the name to their child.
“Mama have sister?”
“Yes, your mama has four sisters,” he explained.
“I want sister.”
Darcy would enjoy more children, but Elizabeth thought there would be no others. He reminded himself to be satisfied with what God had provided him. “Your papa’s sister, your Aunt Georgiana, had a baby this week. You have a new cousin. Would that be a good gift for now?”
“Another girl?” Her voice sounded sleepy.
“No, a boy.”
“You ’ave house, Papa?”
He stroked her hair and bent to whisper in her ear. “I own the most magnificent house you will ever see. Think of a castle. And horses. And sheep. And lovely things to eat.”
“And more dolls?” she murmured.
“As many as you want. And pretty dresses.” He continued to whisper his dreams for her into her ear as she fell asleep cuddled into the curve of his body.
