for Nan to place the tea and soup on a nearby low table before responding. âMr. Darcy had business in Newcastle. We had hoped to be at Pemberley by Christmas, but now weâre unsure.â
Mrs. Joseph glanced about the room. âAt least, thereâs a holiday touch about the space. The pine scent is quite comforting.â
Elizabeth nodded her agreement. âThe men gathered the greenery today, and the innâs proprietress and I organized the arrangements.â
Mrs. Joseph sipped the warm tea. âI approve, Mrs. Darcy.â
Elizabeth smiled easily. âIt was a female whim, but upon Mr. Darcyâs insistence, the gentlemenâat least, a few of themâacquiesced.â Elizabeth poured herself some tea. âI hope youâll not find my next comment too personal,â she said tentatively. âBut should you not be in the midst of your confinement, Mrs. Joseph?â Considering her own tenuous condition, Elizabeth added, âA woman cannot be too careful under the circumstances.â
Mrs. Josephâs chocolate brown eyes sparkled with the roomâs warmth. âI suppose I shouldâve taken the weather into consideration; itâs late December, after all. But as Iâm a month from my delivery, I thought it best to support my husband. Matthew would never forgive himself if he wasnât at his motherâs side when her time came, and I wouldnât selfishly demand that he choose between the woman who sacrificed everything for him and me.â Mrs.
Joseph nervously giggled. âWhat if I were not my husbandâs first choice, Mrs. Darcy? Can you imagine the wedge driven between us if that were so?â
âI have no doubt that Mr. Joseph would realize his duty rested with you, as would the elder Mrs. Joseph,â Elizabeth assured.
The woman shot a fleeting look toward her husband. âI wouldnât wish for Mr. Joseph to choose me out of duty, Mrs. Darcy. Iâm vain enough to seek the manâs love.â
Elizabeth observed, âFew of us of any station have the luxury of knowing true love in marriage, Mrs. Joseph. If you are so fortunate, I commend your joining.â
The young woman sipped her creamed soup. âDo you count yourself among those fortunate ones, Mrs. Darcy? I know itâs truly none of my concern, but as we are, apparently, the only female guests here, I suspect weâll become intimate friends thanks to our circumstance.â
Elizabeth didnât turn her head, but she knew Darcy watched her. The thought of his constant attention brought a smile to her lips. âI know Mr. Darcyâs affections,â she said softly.
âGood,â Mrs. Joseph pronounced. âThen youâll understand the necessity of my accompanying Mr. Joseph on this journey.â She sighed deeply. âOf course, I had an ulterior motive. My father and I parted with bitter words. I had hoped that if I delivered his first grandchild where he might meet the babe that he would forget what he saw as betrayal.â
âA child can resolve many ills. Our Lord sent his son to offer us forgiveness.â
âI donât wish to portray my father in a poor light. He placed everything aside to raise a daughter alone after my motherâs passing. He worked countless hours to create a successful business, but he provided me both sympathy and encouragement. Through all his trials, he demanded only one thing from meâmy loyalty. He had chosen a man who would follow my fatherâs every order, but I had other ideas. Unfortunately, my father couldnât fathom how
I could love another more than I loved him. To complicate the matter, Mr. Joseph accepted a living outside of Stoke-upon-Trent. My father took what he saw as my complete abandonment of him quite hard.â
Elizabeth thought of her own father. âIâm one of five daughters, but I suspect that my father feels abandoned by each of us.â
âHowever, he