“What is it?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he said.
But she was not to be put off.
“There is something; I can tell. You are worried about Edward. You are not happy about this trip of his.”
“It is none of my business. He is of age and free to do as he likes. Besides, travel broadens the mind and I think every young man should experience it at least once in his life. I admire his enthusiasm, but sometimes I feel that, for Edward, Egypt has not simply been an interest but an obsession.”
“Are you worried that he will be disappointed?”
“I think it is more that I am worried he is too inexperienced to take care of himself abroad. He is very trusting, and there are plenty of people in the world who will be only too happy to take advantage of his generous nature, and his generous allowance. His father and mine were older when they undertook their trip to Egypt, and even they found themselves out of their depth. I am not sure you should be encouraging him.”
“I cannot help encouraging him to follow his heart. You, above all, should know the importance of that. After all, would we be here now if we had followed the advice of older, wiser heads?”
“Perhaps not. Though I am not convinced the heads in our case were wiser.”
Elizabeth laughed. “No, it was not very wise of Lady Catherine to visit me and attempt to bully me into saying that I would never marry you.”
“Or to tell me that you had wilfully refused to assure her that there was no truth in the rumours, for that is what gave me reason to hope. I knew that, if you had really been set against me, you would have told her so.”
“Then since things turned out so well for us, will you not agree with me that Edward should not be prevented from pursuing his passion? For who knows where it might lead?”
Darcy was thoughtful. “Perhaps…”
“Yes?”
“Perhaps we should go with him.”
“Darcy, do you mean it?” asked Elizabeth, with a sparkle in her eye.
“I do,” he said, smiling to see her so happy.
“But what about the boys’ schooling?”
“We will be gone for less than a year and the trip will be educational. It will give them a chance to travel, and although it would perhaps be better for them to wait until they are older, such a trip might not be possible when they come of age. Europe has just emerged from a long period of warfare. Who knows when there might be another?”
“Oh, this is so exciting! Just think of it. Egypt! With its pyramids and palm trees and golden sand dunes. What an adventure it will be. We must start to make plans immediately—”
“However,” Darcy interrupted as she got up, her eyes sparkling with pleasure, and ran to her escritoire. “Once we return, we will send Laurence to school.”
Elizabeth stopped. “He is still so young.”
“I was at school already by his age. He needs more society than his family circle can give him. He needs it for his own sake and for his future as well. He is ready to experience a life that allows him more companions of his own age and inclination.”
“You mean he wishes to go to school?” Elizabeth frowned. “He has never mentioned it to me.”
“Of course not. He does not want to upset you; he adores you, as all our children do. However, when you are not present he talks of little else but the day when he will attend a proper school.”
As she stared at him, Elizabeth knew he was speaking the truth. She gave a sigh.
“You are right. I knew it must come eventually, and although I did not admit it, I knew only this morning that the time had come. When Laurence was running around the museum…” She gave a rueful smile.
“He is lively and energetic and full of enthusiasm, but he grows ever wilder as the days progress,” Darcy agreed. “And what is more, he leads Jane astray. She will be far more ladylike without Laurence to lead her into mischief. So we are agreed?”
“Yes,” she said.
“And we are agreed on the trip to Egypt?”
“Yes, a thousand times yes. It will be the holiday of a lifetime.”
Chapter 3
Elizabeth and Darcy agreed not to tell the children about the Egyptian trip at once, as the thought of six overexcited children was rather too much of a good thing, but they discussed it with Edward at the earliest opportunity. Elizabeth was not sure how he would take the news, whether he might think they were interfering, but she need not have been concerned, for he was enthusiastic about the idea.
“It seems only fitting that the two of us should go together,” he said to Darcy. “After all, it is what our fathers did.”
“If only we knew the name of the third member of their expedition, we could invite his son, too,” mused Darcy.
“I did not know there were three men in the original party,” said Elizabeth, who had not heard it mentioned before.
“Yes, there is a portrait of all three of them,” said Edward. “I found it on a wet afternoon when I explored the attic. It was covered in dust and had obviously not been good enough for my father’s refined tastes or he would have hung it in his study. The three men were painted in front of the pyramids.”
“And do you not know who the third man is?” asked Elizabeth.
“I did not recognise him,” said Edward carefully, adding, “I did not even recognise my own father. He had a beard, he was very thin, and his skin was as brown as a nut. It was only the ring on his finger which gave away his identity.”
“And could your father not tell you?”
“He does not like to speak of Egypt. He fears it will encourage me. It is a pity we do not know of any artists who might be willing to come with us. I would like to have someone to record the expedition,” said Edward. “We could have our portrait painted in front of the pyramids like our fathers.”
Elizabeth opened her mouth, and Darcy said, “No, you cannot ask him.”
“Why not?” she replied. “I am sure he would like to come with us.”
“The poor man was of a nervous disposition. He jumped every time I spoke to him,” said Darcy. “He would probably faint at the sight of a camel.”
“You forget, my dear, that you are far more awe inspiring than any camel!” Elizabeth returned with laughter in her eyes.
“Do you mean you know someone?” asked Edward.
“Darcy has just commissioned a family portrait,” said Elizabeth. “We were going to have it painted in London, or perhaps at Pemberley. But as we already have several family portraits with various Darcy houses in the background, I think the idea of being painted against a backdrop of camels, sand, and pyramids is an excellent one.”
“I doubt if Paul Inkworthy will think it an excellent idea,” said Darcy.
“We can at least ask him,” said Elizabeth. “It would be an adventure for him, and I think he is in need of an adventure. He is very thin and pale, poor man; he has obviously spent too many hours sitting in a studio. Some sunshine is just what he needs. It would improve his nerves too, I am convinced of it.”
“My dear wife, you are incorrigible,” said Darcy.
“Alas, dear husband, I am. I will write to him and suggest the idea at once,” said Elizabeth.
As she went over to her writing table, she had a brilliant vision of Darcy and herself standing in the middle of a glorious Egyptian painting, with their children seated in front of them. She imagined the girls in pristine white dresses and the boys looking immaculate in coats and breeches, surrounded by golden sand dunes. Then the impossibly perfect picture dissolved as her lively mind provided her with a more realistic picture: Laurence and Jane running about, Margaret sucking her thumb, and a camel eating the flowers on Beth’s bonnet. Elizabeth laughed at herself then sat down at her desk, and taking up a quill pen, she started to write.