Page 12 of Shields and Roses

"Well done, Richard," Bennet said as he conceded the game. "You have not spent so much time with your other studies that your play has suffered."

"Ah, well, I had not yet mentioned that I joined a club of boys interested in the game. I have had a few strong players to practice with and several other boys to coach in their play."

"It shows, lad. It shows. You will have to play against Lizzy before you leave tomorrow. She is coming along nicely, although she is not quite up to the same standard you are. At any rate, she will be pleased to challenge herself against a different player than her predictable old father." Bennet smiled as he spoke.

"I look forward to it," Richard said. "I am surprised the governess does not protest against you teaching Lizzy something considered so unladylike as chess."

"I was a bit surprised by it myself, but Miss Stanton actually encouraged not just the chess lessons, but the Latin and other studies as well. Lizzy is interested, so I have been giving her grounding in many of the same subjects you and your friends have been learning at Eton. Miss Stanton makes time in their daily schedule for Lizzy to come work with me while Jane and Mary work on other subjects."

"Where is Lizzy now? I did not see her in the music room with Miss Stanton when I came in."

"Ah, that is due to another event in Lizzy's daily schedule. Miss Stanton objected to the time my girl likes to spend outside walking and exploring. Running around on her own is frightfully unladylike, according to your aunt. Miss Stanton insisted that Lizzy must have a companion if she walks farther than the edge of the formal garden."

"Oh, I imagine that stricture did not go over well." Richard grimaced as he spoke, thinking of Lizzy's probable reaction.

"It did not," Bennet confirmed, smiling a bit at the memory. "Of course, Lizzy insisted that bringing a maid along on her walks defeated the purpose of leaving the garden to spend time on her own, and her mother insisted they had no maids to spare for such foolishness anyway. Our neighbor, Miss Charlotte Lucas, came to Lizzy's rescue. Sir William and Lady Lucas are our neighbors to the west. The river marks the boundary between our estates. There is a point along the path between the two where one can just see the upper windows of both houses and be seen from the houses as well. Miss Lucas, who is thirteen, also likes to walk but her mother insists she does not go out alone either. She and Lizzy now have a daily appointment, when the weather allows, to meet at that spot where they can be seen from both houses. From there they may wander as they wish, so long as they stay in sight of each other and they finish their walks in the same spot."

"So, they are out walking now?" Richard said.

"Actually, I hear Mary working on her scales, so they should have returned by now and Lizzy should be in here for her Latin lesson. In fact, she should have been back a little while ago."

Richard moved the table with the chess board back in front of the fireplace. "Would you like me to go out looking for you?"

Bennet smiled at his godson's eagerness to help. "Not right away," he said. "I think we first need to check that she has not already returned and simply decided not to disturb the two of us in our game. Ring the bell for Mrs. Hill, would you?"

When Mrs. Hill confirmed Lizzy had not been seen inside the house, Bennet suggested she take Richard up to the window from which one could see the meeting point so he would know where to start looking and confirm that Lizzy was not already on the way home.

"That is the spot there, Master Richard," Mrs. Hill said, indicating a clearing where a simple stone bridge spanned a narrow point in the river. "You can see the trail from the wooded area of the garden that Mrs. Bennet calls 'the hermitage' because of the old stone ruins in it off to the bridge where they meet. On a hot day like this, Miss Lizzy and Miss Lucas are likely to stay in the woods along the riverbank. There are trails along both sides."

"Would they be more likely to go upriver or down?" Richard asked.

"I suspect downriver simply because the woods extend farther in that direction. The river widens and becomes shallower leaving places where they can cross back and forth between the two banks over stepping stones or on a plank bridge Mr. Bennet built when he was about your age."

"I will head downriver, then. Thank you, Mrs. Hill"

"Good luck, Master Richard. I expect they simply found a pleasant, shady spot and got to talking, losing track of time, but it is best to check just in case they found trouble instead."

Both turned away from the window. Mrs. Hill returned to her duties and Richard headed outside to make his way through the garden to the stone bridge.

Chapter 8: Knighted

Armed with the directions from Mrs. Hill, Richard quickly made his way outdoors and along the path, checking as he went to make certain Lizzy had not returned unnoticed. He soon found himself at the side of the stone bridge. At this point, the river was fairly narrow, not much more than eight feet across, and moving rapidly, although he could tell it was still not more than four or five feet deep. Looking upstream he could see what Mrs. Hill had meant about the woods ending sooner in that direction. Although the riverbank twisted gently, he could see how the trees thinned out and suspected there were open spots bordering fields just beyond his view.

Going downstream, the riverbank twisted more sharply. He could see the usual selection of willows one found close to water sources, but also a good variety of other trees, including what looked like walnut groves on both sides of the water further downstream. The trail led along Longbourn's side of the bank, threading through the trees. He began walking that way, occasionally calling out for Lizzy as he did.

Richard could see why Lizzy and Miss Lucas enjoyed strolling alongside the twisting banks. It was shady and cool. As Mrs. Hill had said, the riverbed widened as he went further downstream. At first, the water bubbled and frothed over the rocks that peeked through its surface, but soon it slowed and only foamed where eddies swirled in pockets along the bank.

A trout jumped midstream, landing back in the water with a little splash. Richard found himself distracted by thoughts of how pleasant it would be to spend an afternoon fishing in such a spot. Lost in his thoughts, he nearly missed the voice that cried out from farther downstream in answer to his last shout.

"Help! We are over here! Please help!"

Picking up his pace, he moved in the direction of the shouting. As he rounded the bend in the riverbank trail, Richard could clearly see why Lizzy had not yet returned home. She and her friend must have been crossing the river over the bridge that Mrs. Hill said had been made by Mr. Bennet so many years before. Nearly mid-stream, a slim, dark-haired girl seemed to be kneeling in water that came up over her waist because of her position. He assumed it was Miss Lucas and, from her expression, she was in some pain. The bridge had fallen apart and Lizzy was also in the water, putting all her energy into keeping a large and heavy section of woodwork from slamming into Miss Lucas. Even as Richard took in the situation, she shouted for help again.

"Hold on, Lizzy!" Richard shouted back as he started to pull off his riding boots so he would not ruin them in the water. "I will be in to help you in a moment!"

Lizzy whipped her head around to see who had spoken. "Richard!" she cried in relief.

"At your service," he replied, starting to work on the second boot. "What happened?"