| Colonel Fitzwilliam Lends a Hand Section II |
| Part IV The rest of Elizabeth's stay at Hunsford was tedious at best. Lady Catherine's company was nearly unbearable without her nephews' good humor to temper it, and life at the parsonage with Mr. Collins was no better. She found herself taking more solitary walks in the grove, thinking back on the changes of the last few weeks. How different Mr. Darcy now seems! How amiable�... and handsome, she sighed. It was difficult for her even to remember the Mr. Darcy of old, or at least, the Mr. Darcy she thought she knew. Now she realized how terribly she had misjudged him, and still berated herself every once in a while for having treated him so badly. She looked forward to her brief sojourn in town more and more eagerly as it approached. On the afternoon before her last day in Kent, the inhabitants of the parsonage paid one last visit to Rosings for tea. "It shall be terribly dull at Rosings now that everyone will be gone," complained Lady Catherine with great condescension. "My dear nephews have been gone nearly a week, and you will be leaving yourself tomorrow, Miss Bennet." She paused as a thought came to her and smiled complacently at her own intelligence. "You will write to your mother and ask her to stay a little longer. Surely she can spare you for another fortnight." Mr. Collins was in awe, and about to commend her ladyship on her generously bestowed solicitudes when Elizabeth replied most ungratefully. "But my father cannot." Everyone stared at her in shock, except Charlotte, who tried to stifle her smirk. "Surely your father can spare you if your mother can; daughters are never of much consequence to a father. And if you stay another month complete, it will be in my power to take you as far as London myself in the Barouche box!" Such condescension left Mr. Collins speechless with delight. Still, Elizabeth was unaffected. Hours of travel with Lady Catherine in an enclosed space? Ugh, kill me first! "Your ladyship is very kind, but my aunt and uncle eagerly await our arrival in town for a visit. We must leave as planned tomorrow." Lady Catherine harrumphed but said no more on the subject. Elizabeth's final night in Kent was disturbed by bizarre dreams; in them, Mr. Darcy proposed to her, Colonel Fitzwilliam welcomed her to the family, then just as they were reaching the altar, Lady Catherine swept in with Anne and insisted that there had been a mistake. Elizabeth was most unceremoniously pushed out of the way, and Anne took her place. Darcy looked at her on the ground, then at Anne; instead of helping her up, he only said, "I can't believe I was about to marry this country nobody! I am in no humor to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men! Come Anne, let us do our family duty." Colonel Fitzwilliam helped her up as the marriage went on, escorted her outside, and closed the church door behind her. She woke up with a feeling of despair, not because the hated Mr. Darcy had sought her hand, but because the much loved Mr. Darcy had rejected and left her. That was when she realized it: she loved him. Mr. Darcy, whom she had so despised and reviled, whom she had thought hated her with equal vehemence, of all people, he was the only man she could now imagine making her happy for the rest of her life. Everything now hit her full force; she realized that Colonel Fitzwilliam had probably told him of their conversation, and he had made every effort to attend to her reproofs; he had confided in her the extremely painful and private story of his relationship with Wickham, even as involved his sister; he had helped bring Bingley and Jane back together, even though he had probably had a hand in separating them in the first place; and in addition to all of this, he had twice postponed his departure from Rosings, though he did not enjoy his aunt's company at all, and seemed to barely notice that Anne even existed. Elizabeth did not wish to give herself too much hope, but she could think of only one reason that Darcy had done all of these things: he loved her as well. Not only that, but he must have loved her for some time, from when he was at Netherfield. He had loved her despite her rudeness and impertinence� or was it perhaps because of that behavior? She laughed to herself at the thought, for she had been rude to drive him away, and instead he had fallen for her. He must always have been really amiable, or he would have hated me for it; but contrary to what I chose to believe, his feelings were always noble and just. In his heart, he thoroughly despises the persons who so assiduously court him�... like Miss Bingley! How clearly I can now remember that he was constantly rolling his eyes whenever she spoke. Oh will the morning never come? I want to go to London! Ignoring this last, Lydia-like exclamation of her mind, Elizabeth spent the rest of the night thinking of what she would wear and how she should act when she saw Mr. Darcy, and thanking the heavens for blessing her with relations for whom there was no need to blush. At last morning came, and with it the carriage to take them to London. She embraced Charlotte warmly, and thanked her for her generous hospitality. Though she tried to hide it, Charlotte wore a pained expression that clearly showed she would miss having the distraction of her friend when they dined at Rosings Park. Mr. Collins was a more interesting goodbye. "Well cousin Elizabeth, you have seen for yourself the felicity of our situation. Our intimacy at Rosings is something of which few could boast." "Indeed they could not." "And now you may be inclined to think that your friend has made a most fortunate alliance, perhaps more so than� but on this point it will be as well to be silent." "You are very good," Elizabeth said softly, nearly unable to keep her countenance. Mr. Collins let out a little smirk before continuing. "But let me assure you, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that I can from my heart most cordially wish you equal felicity in marriage. My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking. There is in everything a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas between us. We seem to have been designed for each other." With this he gave Charlotte a simpering little hand wave and smile that the poor lady received with barely concealed disgust. Elizabeth felt sympathy for her friend, but she had chosen it with her eyes open, and though she felt no warm feelings for her husband, she was content with her situation. The carriage ride seemed interminable. When she looked out on the landscape, she saw Mr. Darcy, eyes glowing with admiration, and heard Colonel Fitzwilliam's voice saying, "I already feel as if you are part of the family!" Maria spoke to her occasionally, but often had to repeat herself, and at last just gave up. Elizabeth was glad for the respite, for she wanted to gather her composure before reaching town. Because of changing horses at Bromley and having a light luncheon, they did not arrive at Gracechurch Street until early evening. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner welcomed them warmly and showed them to their rooms so they could refresh for supper. Elizabeth quickly washed up, then spent the better part of half an hour trying to write a proper note to Mr. Darcy informing him of her arrival. She did not wish to be too familiar nor too cold, too polite nor too improper. At last satisfied, she went to the sitting room and had her uncle's manservant take the note immediately. Meanwhile, at the Darcy townhouse... Darcy was beginning to get lonely. Fitzwilliam had left two days prior, and though Georgiana was good company, she did not have the liveliness of their cousin or of another young lady of his acquaintance. In truth, he had not stopped thinking about Elizabeth since leaving the parsonage. Her hand had been so soft and warm against his lips; he recalled the electrifying sensation that had coursed through his body at the simple touch of her fingertips. She should be arriving this very day! I hope she was not just being polite when she said she would inform me of her arrival, he was thinking nervously when his butler brought in a letter on a tray. "Excuse me sir, but a Mr. Smith brought you a letter from a Miss Elizabeth Bennet. He says he will wait if you have a reply." Darcy eagerly snatched up the letter and tore it open. Mr. Darcy, Maria and I have arrived at Gracechurch Street this evening. I hope you are well. We shall be in town until Tuesday, and look forward to your call. Yours, etc. Elizabeth Bennet His heart leapt for joy. She had written him, and looked forward to his call! He quickly scribbled out a reply and handed it to the butler to give to Smith. Contented, he went to the music room to tell Georgiana about the call they were to make the next day. Back at Gracechurch Street... Elizabeth was in a taciturn, reflective mood. Over supper, she let Maria do most of the talking about the parsonage and Rosings, opting to wait for more privacy to speak with her aunt about Mr. Darcy. Unfortunately Maria decided to bring it up sooner. "And then Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived at Rosings for Easter; they are Lady Catherine's nephews. Mr. Darcy was in Hertfordshire with Mr. Bingley before, but then he was very quiet and proud. This time he seemed to be very nice, and would always call at Hunsford with his cousin. He was very good friends with Lizzy, was he not Lizzy?" she asked innocently. Elizabeth blushed deeply in spite of her desperate wish to appear unaffected. "Yes," she said nervously, "we resolved our differences and he really is much more amiable than I originally gave him credit for." She would say no more, but Mrs. Gardiner made a note of her flushed cheeks and determined to speak to her later. Maria continued to chatter on about the chimneypieces and windows of Rosings until dinner was over. She could not longer stifle her yawns and so retired early. Elizabeth sat down next to her aunt for a private conference. "Aunt Gardiner, I have much to tell you. I daresay you will be surprised to hear it after all I said when you were last at Longbourn!" She proceeded to tell her aunt all the details of her reconciliation with Darcy and the truth about Wickham, politely generalizing the Ramsgate affair to simply, "and he was caught trying to seduce an impressionable young lady of fortune, who was then but 15 years old, in order to get his hands on her money." Mrs. Gardiner was very affected by this news, and expressed a strong interest in meeting Mr. Darcy. No sooner had the words been spoken when Smith arrived with the reply to Elizabeth's note. Miss Bennet, Thank you for informing me of your arrival. If it is convenient, my sister and I will call on you at your uncle's house tomorrow afternoon. Please send Miss Lucas my regards. FD Mrs. Gardiner noticed how Elizabeth's face radiated happiness as she read the missive, and became quite interested indeed to meet the famous Mr. Darcy! The next morning at church, Elizabeth was quite happy to not have to go to confession, for she would have had to confess to not paying one bit of attention to the service due to impure thoughts. For some reason, the only image she could seem to think of that morning was of Darcy kissing her hand as he left the parsonage. The church seemed inordinately warm, and she had never been so happy to leave a place in her life. When they arrived back home, she hurried to her room to change from her church clothes and make herself look slightly more appealing for her afternoon visitor. Completely unwittingly, she picked out her lowest cut, most flattering gown; her hair was perfectly arranged and in place, except for two long tendrils down her neck for a special look. She had just walked out to the parlour to begin some needlework when she heard the bell and nervously jumped from her seat. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she called to her aunt that they had visitors. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner joined her, and when Smith opened the door to announce Mr. Darcy, they could not help but think how similar Elizabeth's response was to Jane's when Bingley had called, excepting the element of surprise. Darcy was no less affected at the sight of Elizabeth. Again she seemed impossibly beautiful, and for a moment all others in the room were forgotten. Suddenly remembering himself, he bowed deeply. "Miss Bennet, I am most pleased to see you again." "It is very nice to see you as well sir. May I introduce my aunt and uncle? Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gardiner, this is Mr. Darcy." He bowed to each in turn and made his best effort to overcome his shyness and be friendly. "I am very pleased to meet you sir, madam. Miss Bennet speaks very highly of you, as does my friend Bingley. I thank you for your kindness to him." "The pleasure is ours sir. My niece speaks highly of you as well, and we have been desirous of making your acquaintance. Mr. Bingley is a very friendly gentleman, and we were delighted to meet him as well," replied Mr. Gardiner. Elizabeth speaks well of me? Oh please let it be true! Darcy thought to himself, not realizing that he was staring at Elizabeth during Mr. Gardiner's entire speech. A gentle cough from behind him brought him back to reality. "Oh, please forgive me. May I introduce my sister, Georgiana? Georgiana, this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner." Georgiana curtseyed politely and managed a soft "how do you do?" before practically hiding behind her brother again. Elizabeth and the Gardiners immediately saw that the girl was painfully shy (not proud as Wickham had claimed), and felt compelled to reach out to her. Mrs. Gardiner called for tea, and Maria joined them when they went to the sitting room. Elizabeth invited Georgiana and Maria to sit near herself, and soon had engaged them in light conversation. The subject of music was brought up, and Georgiana came to life. "I am very fond of music," she said. "I have played the pianoforte since I was a little girl, and practice whenever I can. Do you play Miss Bennet, or you Miss Lucas?" "I never learned the pianoforte, but I do like to sing," offered Maria. "I play and sing a little, but very ill indeed," laughed Elizabeth. "I would dearly love you hear you play and sing Miss Bennet. My brother tells me he has rarely heard anything that gave him more pleasure," Georgiana said eagerly. "So you shall. But I warn you, your brother has grossly exaggerated my talents, no doubt for some mischievous reason of his own," Elizabeth replied teasingly. Georgiana was taken aback by the notion of her brother being mischievous. "Oh no, that cannot be so! My brother never exaggerates, he always tells the absolute truth. Except I think sometimes he is a little too kind to me." Elizabeth smiled. "An ideal elder brother then." "Oh yes, I could not imagine a better or a kinder one." "You make me feel quite envious; I have no brothers at all, only 4 sisters!" Georgiana opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, slightly bowed her head seeming to have changed her mind, then softly said, "I should have liked to have a sister," looking up at Elizabeth through her eyelashes. Elizabeth's cheeks flushed slightly at this insinuation, but did not have a chance to reply as the Gardiner children came skipping happily into the room at that moment. Georgiana was enraptured, as she loved children, and within moments was playing dolls with them on the floor. Darcy smiled at her affectionately, confiding to the Gardiners that she had been forced to grow up too quickly due to the early death of their parents, and it was refreshing to see her being playful. They were impressed with his kindness, and of course his obvious regard for their favorite niece. Elizabeth now turned to join their conversation. "Mr. Darcy, your sister is a very dear girl. Thank you for introducing us," she said shyly. He only smiled in reply, and she continued. "I hope your cousin is in good health." "Yes, thank you. He left for his regiment three days ago, and I just received word of his safe arrival yesterday." "I am glad to hear it." Goodness, I'm sounding like him! "Your dear aunt was in the best of health three days ago as well sir," she said archly, bowing her head in her best Mr. Collins impersonation. He laughed, easing the tension between them slightly. "Thank you madam. I have felt greatly deprived of her advice and good counsel this past week. Pray, can you repeat some of her latest so that I may implement them in my life immediately?" Elizabeth giggled becomingly. "I am afraid that they were so numerous, I could not even begin to repeat them. Actually, to own the truth, I stopped listening to them altogether after your departure. Fortunately I was paying attention when she invited us to stay another month, or we might have been stuck there and I wouldn't have seen y� my aunt and uncle," she stuttered, blushing furiously. Darcy was pleased with this near-slip of the tongue, but did not wish to embarrass her and changed the subject. "Oh, I almost forgot! I have had a letter from Bingley." Elizabeth regained her composure and looked up at him. "He has reopened Netherfield and has visited Longbourn nearly everyday. I do not expect his, um, business to take much longer," he said with a grin. Elizabeth smiled broadly. "I am very glad to hear it. Perhaps his visits have taken all of Jane's time, for I have not had a letter from her in some time." "Well, based on Bingley's letters, I think you can expect one very soon." He paused briefly to consider his next words. "My sister and I would like to extend an invitation to all of you, the children included if you wish, to dine with us before you depart for Hertfordshire. Would tomorrow evening be convenient?" "Thank you sir, we would be delighted," replied Mrs. Gardiner. At Georgiana's insistence, she promised to bring the children along as well. The Darcys were pressed to stay for dinner that evening; he was about to politely decline when Elizabeth said, "Please do Mr. Darcy, we should so much like to have you stay." He then accepted with alacrity. Mrs. Gardiner cleverly arranged the seating so Elizabeth and Darcy were across from each other on either side of herself at the end of the table. Both were pleased by this arrangement, though Elizabeth often found it very difficult to meet his eyes when he stared at her so disconcertingly. She could now most definitely see that what she had once taken for contempt was in fact regard, affection, and could it be�love? Fortunately Susan could not see Darcy's face from where she was sitting, or she might have made a similar observation to the one she had made about Mr. "Bindley". Even without little Susan's discernment, however, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner could definitely tell that Elizabeth felt more for Darcy than she let on in words. Georgiana was also content to see Elizabeth's regard for her brother, and was very pleased with the Gardiners and Maria. She did not often get to speak with girls her own age, and took great delight in being able to do so. For her brother's sake, she made a special effort to be more outgoing in this company, and was rewarded by kind smiles and delightful conversation. In too short a time for Darcy's liking, the hour grew late and he and Georgiana took their leave with a reminder of their dinner engagement for the following evening. The Gardiners assured them they would be there at 6, and said goodbye. Elizabeth squeezed Georgiana's hand fondly before turning to her brother. "Goodnight Mr. Darcy. Thank you for your kind invitation. I look forward to tomorrow evening." He bowed and took her hand. "Thank you for your kindness to my sister Miss Bennet. She was somewhat apprehensive before this meeting, for she was afraid you would think ill of her after what happened last summer." "Oh the poor dear! She is as innocent in that as Mr. Wickham is guilty. I hope I have eased her fears. I like her very much." "I think she feels much better about it. She was delighted with your young cousins. I am always happy when she gets a chance to have fun." He paused as if to say more, but only added, "We should be going. Good evening Miss Bennet, it is always a pleasure to see you." He raised her hand to his lips and placed a soft, lingering kiss on it. Elizabeth could not contain the sigh that escaped from her lips at this action, and upon hearing it he looked up at her with a look she had not seen before. She would almost call it�passion! She mustered all her power to match his gaze as he straightened his back again, still holding her hand in his. "Good night Elizabeth," he whispered. With a quick squeeze of her hand, he turned and walked out the door. Part V Elizabeth watched the door close with her heart beating so quickly that she thought it would leap out of her chest. It seemed like such a simple action; a mere squeeze of her hand. But he had called her Elizabeth, and had looked at her in such a way! She practically floated back to her room, barely mumbling something to her aunt about retiring early. Mrs. Gardiner smiled knowingly and bade her a good night. Elizabeth dreamed vividly that night, and though slightly shocked at the nature of those dreams, she could not help but wake up the next morning feeling quite happy with them. Darcy's thoughts as he left the Gardiner home were in no less tumultuous a state. She sighed! I am certain she did. But perhaps it was a sigh of frustration, or impatience...perhaps she grew weary of my company. No, it could not be, she seemed so friendly and warm, and smiled at me so brightly; she has never smiled at me that way before. And when I looked up at her, she looked back, right into my eyes, not with disgust or anger, but...I dare not say love, but affection at least, yes, at the very least. Still, was I too forward in calling her Elizabeth? She did not seem to mind, but I also did not give her much time to respond. How shall I behave tomorrow night? Shall I keep my distance, or be more familiar? And if she looks as beautiful as she did tonight, how on earth am I to keep from proposing the instant I see her? Georgiana let a little smile creep onto her lips as she observed her brother, for he was so affected by Miss Bennet that he walked right past their carriage and was about to wander into the street. Grabbing his arm, she softly said, "Fitzwilliam, I believe this one is ours." He looked down at her as if he had not even remembered that she was there. He shook his head as if to clear his mind, and with a goofy grin, helped his sister into the carriage. The temptation to tease him a little was too great even for sweet, timid Georgiana to resist. "My dear brother, you seem somewhat distracted. What could be bothering you?" she asked innocently. "Oh, it's nothing, nothing at all," he stammered with embarrassment. "Just, you know, business and whatnot." She feigned a look of concern. "I understand. Well, I just hope this business that distracts you so does not keep you from properly courting Miss Bennet. I liked her very much." The look of childlike innocence never left her countenance, confusing her brother momentarily before he burst out laughing. "I see that I cannot fool you Georgiana. You know exactly what has been distracting me don't you?" She only nodded as a giggle slipped past her lips. "Do you really like her?" he added more softly. "I do Fitzwilliam, I truly do. She was so kind and friendly; I felt as if I had known her all my life. I shall very much like to have her as a sister," she replied earnestly. "Slow down my dear. I have not yet proposed, and she has not yet accepted me!" Georgiana smiled. "But you will, and so will she. Now, let us talk about this dinner tomorrow! You must look as handsome as you can for Miss Bennet. I personally think green is most becoming on you, and as for�" * * * * * * * * * * The following evening could not come quickly enough for two certain of London's current residents. Elizabeth could think of nothing but Darcy's adieu the night before, and so proved to be utterly useless around the house the entire day. Her aunt, fortunately, was kind enough to forgive her this distraction. Darcy was barely less affected. He attempted to answer some correspondence that had been building up since his last visit to town, but found that he was beginning all of his letters "Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth," and gave up. He watched Georgiana practice the pianoforte for an hour just to keep from pacing in his bedchamber. At last he felt that it was time to begin preparing himself for dinner and called for his bath. For some reason, Elizabeth chose that exact time to appear in his thoughts, and he pictured her bathing him instead of his valet. The effects of this little daydream made him more than a little uncomfortable to be seen, so he sent his valet away and finished bathing himself. After sitting in the bath until it was cool in order to regain his composure, he called his valet back to dress him. Alright Darcy, remember what is at stake tonight, he reminded himself as he dressed for dinner. Your entire future happiness depends on how you behave yourself on this one social occasion. This thought did not make him feel much less nervous than before, but it at least reminded to stay alert and not let his daydreams take over. His valet came in carrying several jackets for his master to choose from, holding up first the black one that was so frequently used. Darcy considered for a moment, but after recalling that Georgiana thought he looked best in green, shook his head and said, "No, no, the green one." The valet held it up for approval. "Yes, yes, that'll do," Darcy replied impatiently. He put it on and buttoned it up as his valet attempted to straighten his cravat, but at that moment he heard the bell announcing Elizabeth's arrival. Brushing him off with a, "No, never mind that!" Darcy hurriedly buttoned up the jacket, checked his appearance one last time (his hair was still a bit damp, but no time to correct that now), and rushed out to the entryway to welcome his guests. Georgiana was already there, having been ready for quite some. Darcy was pleased to see his sister doing the job of hostess so well, and especially appreciated her warm reception of Elizabeth with a sisterly hug. As Elizabeth stepped out of this embrace and turned towards him, he strode forward and bowed deeply. "Welcome Miss Bennet, Miss Lucas, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. I am very pleased to see you." Elizabeth could not help but see the twinkle in his eye as she entered the house, but did not quite understand its meaning; he was hoping that this was the last time she would enter this house as a guest instead of as its mistress. "Good evening sir," she curtseyed deeply, deciding to be playful with him in order not to be tongue-tied. "I am most grateful for your generously bestowed condescension. Your home is absolutely perfect for a man of your station, being not too humble, nor too grand. Pray, what is the cost of the chimney pieces here?" she asked, again using her best impression of Mr. Collins to relax her nerves. His tension was also broken by her remarks, and with a hearty laugh, he led his guests into the parlour. Conversation was kept light and friendly among Darcy, Elizabeth, and the Gardiners while Georgiana and Maria played with the two oldest Gardiner children who had come with their parents. They were called to dinner shortly after, and Darcy let his sister lead their guests into the dining room. He had also let Georgiana arrange the seating, and she had not disappointed him. He was at the head of the table, with Mr. Gardiner to his left and Elizabeth to his right. Georgiana was between Elizabeth and Maria, Mrs. Gardiner across from her, and the children at the end, next to their mother. Darcy found Mr. Gardiner to be an intelligent and amiable gentleman, fond of country pursuits and quite knowledgeable about them for being a city dweller. He was especially fond of fishing, he said, and this comment provided just the opportunity Darcy was looking for. "Pemberley, my estate in Derbyshire, has many excellent spots. I have a trout stream and a lake with carp, tench, and pike. The fishing is very productive and has provided me with hours of amusement." "That sounds delightful sir! I wish I had more opportunities to indulge myself in those pleasures, but unfortunately my business does not allow much time away to get into the country very often." "Em� Miss Bennet tells me you will be going away this summer, to the Lakes?" "That is what we plan for now. I am hoping that we will have time for it, but the closer the time comes, the worse is the outlook. I fear we will not be able to go so far." Perfect! Just what I was wishing to hear! Darcy pretended to look deep in thought, then pretended to have just come upon an idea. "Mr. Gardiner, may I make a suggestion? Derbyshire is as beautiful a country as the Lakes, actually more so in my opinion, and does not take as much time to tour as the Lake country. It would be an honor if you would be our guests at Pemberley this summer." The eager look on the young man's face showed Mr. Gardiner that this invitation was not a passing courtesy, but earnestly meant. "Thank you for your kind offer sir. We would not want to impose on your privacy." "It is no imposition at all!" he responded, a bit too quickly, then a bit more calmly, "I have already invited Mr. Bingley and his sisters to come with us, so it would be nothing at all to add a few more to the party. I do hope you will consider it." "Oh yes, please do!" chimed in Georgiana. "You are both very generous. We will discuss it later and let you know." Darcy smiled broadly. "Thank you Mr. Gardiner, I assure you the pleasure will be mine.. er, ours in receiving you." Elizabeth said not a word during all of this, but made a mental note to tell her uncle that she had always wanted to see Derbyshire, and it would be much more practical to stay at Pemberley than to tour the Lakes. After a bit more discussion about summer plans, Darcy turned to speak to Elizabeth. "You leave for Hertfordshire on Tuesday, Miss Bennet?" "Yes, Tuesday," she replied, suddenly unable to speak with her usual fluency. There was a pause as both struggled to think of something to say. "Will you be returning to Netherfield before departing for Pemberley?" she inquired at last. "Our plans are not yet firmly settled. With any luck, my business here will be settled shortly, and we will be able to spend a few weeks there. I hope very much that we might spend some weeks� at the very least," replied Darcy with a silly-looking grin, suddenly feeling very Bingley-like. He cleared his throat and tried to make his face serious again, but when he looked back at Elizabeth smiling shyly at him, he could not help but soften. His lips curled into a barely-perceptible smile, but his eyes sparkled in such a way as to leave no doubt of his feelings. Then, in a motion he did not even realize he was making, his hand sought hers under the table and gently squeezed her fingertips with his own. Elizabeth blushed and looked intently at her plate, but the sight of her dimples let him know that she was not displeased with his action. He let go almost as quickly to avoid detection, but Elizabeth's approval had heartened him, and he was now determined to declare himself to her at the earliest possible opportunity. As Mr. Gardiner was the only other gentleman, Darcy decided against separation of the sexes after dinner. Not that I have other motives for wanting to stay with the ladies... They adjourned to the music room, where Darcy immediately pressed Elizabeth to honor them with a song. After a good deal of convincing from the entire party, she agreed to do one by herself only if Georgiana would join her for the second. Georgiana at first demurred, but finally consented if Elizabeth would let her choose the pieces. The first was a sad Mozart aria, which, though her voice was untrained and she fudged and slurred her way through the difficult passages, she executed beautifully. God, she is the most incredible woman I have ever met! thought Darcy. Mmm, I love how her chest rises when she sings�...Stop it man! Don't start with those thoughts now! He contented himself with just enjoying the sound of her voice and the sight of his beloved in his home. The duet with Georgiana brought even more delight, for they obviously liked each other very much. Elizabeth brought out the best in Georgiana, and for this Darcy could not help but love her more. At last, when the hour grew too late for any excuse of staying to be valid, the Gardiners, Maria, and Elizabeth rose to depart. Darcy and Georgiana were effusive in their expressions of delight and gratitude for having joined them, and promised to call the next afternoon before the younger ladies left for the country. The Darcy carriage was to take them back, so they all filed out to get in it. Darcy offered Elizabeth his arm and managed to keep talking with her so as to make her the last out of the house. As she was about to walk out the door, he placed his hand on top of the one in the crook of his arm and turned to her. At first he did not speak, only gazed longingly. She spoke first. "Thank you for your hospitality Mr. Darcy. It has been a pleasure to become acquainted with your sister and to see you again," she said softly. He gently took her hand from his arm and held it. "I do not wish to argue with you over the greater part of the pleasure, Miss Bennet, but I think I can venture to say that I have enjoyed these past two evenings more than you can know." She blushed but did not lower her eyes. He raised her hand to his lips and placed on it a tender, lingering kiss, then placed his other hand on top of it and lightly stroked it. Time froze for them as their gaze intensified and the distance between them narrowed without perceptible motion from either party. "Elizabeth," he whispered as he leaned in closer to her face, her beautiful face that at one time had not even tempted him for a dance. That face, in turn, moved slightly upwards, lips parted, as if to meet his. Perhaps he would have kissed her then; perhaps she would have kissed back; but a call from the carriage driver outside disrupted their reverie and he stepped back from her slightly. "I shall see you tomorrow Miss B� Elizabeth," he said, then with a final kiss and squeeze of her hand, he escorted her to the carriage. Elizabeth's stomach was all aflutter. His use of her Christian name, not only in the magical romantic moment, but also as he was escorting her outside, made her heart swell as she had never experienced before. He does love me, I know he does! But I must leave for Longbourn in less than two days, and he will remain in town for who knows how long! Oh Mr. Darcy! She spent the entire ride back to Cheapside staring out the window into the darkness of the city and reliving every moment of the evening. How could I ever have thought him cruel and heartless? He is the best man I have ever known. Her multiple sighs of contentment were heard by Mrs. Gardiner, who chose to remain silent until they had more privacy to discuss the events of their visit. Darcy closed the door behind him and leaned against it with his eyes closed. Her scent still enveloped him, her presence still invaded all his senses. He wandered back to the music room and just stared at the pianoforte, where she had been sitting only two hours before. He did not even realize that Georgiana was in the room until she spoke to him. "Fitzwilliam," she said quietly, touching his arm. He started, then turned to his sister with a grin more likely to be found on Bingley than himself. She smiled back. "Are you happy my dear brother?" He sighed. "I believe I am very close to being happy Georgie." "I'm so glad! You have seemed so sad since our father died, and I have worried about you. I am very happy that you and Miss Bennet have found each other." He embraced her tightly. "Me too my darling sister, me too." * * * * * * * * * Meanwhile, in Hertfordshire... Bingley was the happiest he had ever remembered being. He had been to Longbourn everyday since their arrival in the country, and felt that Jane truly did love him. The idea heartened him greatly, and now he awaited only the opportunity to propose to her to make his life complete. Fortunately for him, Mrs. Bennet was perfectly willing to give him that opportunity, and only Jane's modesty prevented her from actively seeking time alone with him. About two weeks after their arrival, and only a day before they expected Elizabeth, Bingley arrived at Longbourn and proposed a walk to Meryton. Mary was not interested in such amusements, as they would take away from her time reading Fordyce's sermons; the excursion would be far too trying on Mrs. Bennet's nerves; and Mr. Bennet was locked away in his library. However, Lydia and Kitty were always up for an excursion to Meryton where they might see a redcoat, and agreed. The two spirited girls soon outstripped their sister and Bingley, who were more intent on enjoying the lovely weather and each other's company than actually getting to the village. When the younger Miss Bennets were out of earshot but still in sight on the path, Bingley stopped and turned to Jane. He opened his mouth to give her the speech he had written and practiced the whole night before; then she looked at him. Poor Bingley was rendered completely speechless, merely staring at her dreamily with his mouth hanging open. Come man, we are not a codfish! At least close your mouth before you start to drool! he thought, snapping his jaw shut. Jane said nothing, only gave him a questioning look as if to ask 'why did you stop walking?'. She smiled at him so innocently and angelically, the typical silly Bingley grin appeared on his face. With sudden resolve, he took her hand and kissed it fervently. "Jane, my dear, dear Jane!" he said as she took a sharp breath of anticipation. "Jane, I have loved you for so long, and suffered greatly when I was misled into believing that you did not care for me. I cannot fathom how my life has operated thus far without you in it. Everyday, when I must leave Longbourn, and you, my heart breaks; the next morning you heal it again with one of your smiles, but the night that comes between is unbearable. Please Jane, my beloved, I beg you to relieve my suffering and consent to be my wife!" Speech completed, Bingley stood nervously awaiting her answer. He probably expected her to use words, so he was very surprised, and at first disappointed when he heard a sob. Then he realized that her shoulders were shaking, and she was in fact crying quite violently! Oh no, what have I done? She is so displeased with me that my proposal has disgusted her to this point. She feels obligated to accept me, but knows she will be ruining her own happiness by doing so! Oh Jane, was Caroline right? You really do not love me? His expression was one of utter desolation, and he looked about to cry himself. "I am sorry, Miss Bennet, I did not mean to upset you. I did not realize you were so ill-disposed to hear my proposal. I am very very sorry," he said, pain evident in his voice. Jane's head shot up, her eyes and countenance glowing with obvious joy, but now tainted with concern over his misinterpretation of her reaction. "Oh no, Mr. Bingley! I fear you misunderstand me; I am not upset, or ill-disposed to your proposals. In fact, I am quite the opposite. I accept your proposal with great joy Mr. Bingley!" Her radiant smile reassured him, and his returned full force as he impulsively picked her up in his arms and swung her around. After setting her back on the ground with a bit of embarrassment, his brow furrowed slightly again. "But then� why did you weep?" "I'm not entirely sure� I suppose it was a release of all the emotions I have felt since I met you. I have loved you, I believe, from our first meeting at the Meryton Assembly; I believed that you loved me too, then suddenly you left Netherfield without another word." He winced at this reminder of his stupidity. How could I have let them talk me into leaving her? I have caused her so much pain, she who I wish to protect from the slightest harm; I have wounded her more than anyone else could have done. Stupid, stupid Bingley! She paused, also hurting over the memory. "I was heartbroken for months, and though I tried not to show it, I know that everyone knew, and I felt all the worse for being a bother to my dear family." A bother indeed! I am quite certain that she could never bother anyone! How undeserving I am of this angel! "Lizzy suggested I go to London for a change of scene and society, and at first I was glad to have gone. My aunt and uncle are very kind, and my cousins are such dear children. Then I visited Miss Bingley, and she returned my call three weeks later." Bingley's fist clenched at this mention of his sister's rudeness. Three weeks??? That is hardly a timely visit Caroline! "When she told me that you were too busy to see me, I felt that I would die. I was convinced that you no longer cared for me, and I desperately wished to know what I had done to cause such censure." Censure? I believe WORSHIP is the word I would use to describe how I have always felt about you my darling! "Then," she smiled broadly, "then you came to call on me at Gracechurch Street. I was so overcome with the joy of seeing you, but also afraid because I thought that our feelings were unequal. You have shown me how wrong I was to doubt you, and I apologize if I have ever made you feel as if I did not love you in return." No my love, you have always shown me; I just felt too undeserving to believe it could be true. "Since that day, everyday spent with you has been the happiest of my life. You have made me cherish every moment, and though I did not wish to have my hopes crushed once more, I did regain my hope that you did, and do love me as dearly as I love you!" she concluded, bursting into tears of joy once more. Bingley was overcome. How deeply she had suffered because of him! But he vowed to make it up to her, in any way she wished, and give her ten joyful days for each day she had been in sorrow. He embraced her again, holding her tightly and whispering how much he loved her and how very sorry he was for ever having hurt her. She put a finger to his lips. "Dwell on it no more sir. I think it best to follow Lizzy's philosophy: think only on the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure." Her warm gaze penetrated to his very soul, and without another thought, he bent down and ardently kissed her lips. They remained in this compromising position until they heard the voices of Kitty and Lydia returning down the path in search of them. Hastily separating, he offered her his arm and continued their walk. "Jane! Mr. Bingley! Look who we have found! And he is going back to Longbourn with us for tea!" cried Lydia in her usual manner. Jane smiled pleasantly at the officer walking beside the girls. "Hello Mr. Wickham." He bowed graciously. "I was on my way to Longbourn to enquire after Miss Elizabeth. Has she returned yet from her travels?" "No, but we expect her here tomorrow sir." "I see; I understood she was to return on Saturday. "She was, but decided to spend a few days in town with our aunt." "Ah! Does she often visit London?" "On occasion." "I am sure she thrives in any environment. I hope she enjoyed her stay in Kent." "She seems to have enjoyed it very much," Jane replied guardedly, thinking it slightly improper for Mr. Wickham to be talking so much about Elizabeth. "But you can ask her about it tomorrow sir, for she will be back in the afternoon." He smiled, but made no reply. They all walked back to Longbourn in high spirits, Jane and Bingley for obvious reasons, Lydia and Kitty to be taking home a handsome redcoat, and Wickham for discovering that Elizabeth would be back soon. Back in London... Fortunately for Elizabeth, preparing to leave for Hertfordshire passed a good part of the following morning and kept her too busy to merely lie on her bed and daydream about Darcy nearly kissing her. Besides, she thought, I shall see him this afternoon. Mmm, this afternoon�... Mr. Darcy�... and the gowns she was folding were forgotten momentarily as she stared into space. Slowly but surely, she finally finished all her packing and set about primping herself for her visitor. By the time he arrived, she was ready to greet him, corset tied, hair shining, cheeks pinched to a perfect pink hue. Not that I needed to...I'm sure my cheeks will be pink of their own accord! She was correct. No sooner had the Darcy siblings walked in the door than she felt the color rise to her face. When he rose from his bow, his first glance was at her, and they made brief but meaningful eye contact. Mrs. Gardiner directed them to the parlour where they could sit and chat. "Thank you for your hospitality Mrs. Gardiner. However, we do not intend to stay long in order to allow your niece and Miss Lucas to prepare for their journey," Darcy began. "Do not worry about that sir!" Elizabeth cried out a bit too eagerly. "We have already prepared our trunks as much as we can today, so you do not have to quit us so soon on our account." He thought he would melt with the smile she flashed at him. "Yes, sir, we insist that you both stay for dinner if you are able," added Mrs. Gardiner. Darcy beamed and was about to speak when Georgiana answered for him. "Thank you Mrs. Gardiner, we would be happy to accept you." She smiled shyly at her brother, who smiled back in approval and added his consent to the plan. Another evening spent with Elizabeth! I could think of worse fates, he joked to himself. As he predicted, it turned out to be yet another delightful night. Georgiana had asked Elizabeth and Maria to correspond with her, and both had accepted happily. Of course Darcy was heartened by this, for then he could at least see Elizabeth's handwriting and find out what she was doing until he could return to Netherfield, which he hoped to do shortly. Again he sat opposite Elizabeth, staring at her openly when he was not looking at his plate. She could not quite meet his gaze most of the time, because a disquieting thought had entered her mind: they were to be separated for an unknown time, and his goodbye had grown more affectionate since their friendship began. How would he take his leave of her tonight? The thought of what might happen made her weak in the knees and she was afraid that if she looked at him, he would see that the desire visible in her eyes was as strong as his own. Her questions were answered soon enough after dinner; when Maria expressed a desire to go to bed early, Darcy and Georgiana immediately decided to leave so the ladies could retire. The Gardiners said goodnight and thanked their guests, then discretely left the room to allow their niece a few minutes of privacy. Georgiana hugged Elizabeth tightly and reminded her of her promise to write, then stepped out into the waiting carriage. Darcy stood in the doorway and turned to Elizabeth with a fire in his eyes she had seen before. "I am glad you will be corresponding with my sister. I hope you will allow me to send my greetings through her until I can bring them to you myself." "The pleasure is mine sir. Your sister reminds me very much of Jane, so befriending her was the most natural thing in the world," Elizabeth replied. If he had been asked to repeat what she said, he probably would not have been able to. He was far too intent on staring at her lips and thinking how desperately he wanted to press his own against them. "Thank you," was all he was able think of to say as he lost himself in her dark eyes. "I shall miss you very much," he said after a pause, not entirely realizing that he had said it aloud. "I shall miss you too Mr. Darcy," she whispered. He took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. Her breathing grew quick and shallow, her heart beating faster as he stepped closer. She knew it was improper to be encouraging such closeness, but she really felt no ability or desire to stop him. She also knew is that he was getting closer and closer. Soon he was softly stroking her cheek with his fingertips. "Elizabeth," he whispered. "Yes sir?" she breathed in reply. His hand cupped her cheek. "May I have your permission to formally court you?" "Do you need my permission?" she teased, trying to cool the flames in her heart. He smiled. "I suppose not�but I should like to know I have it all the same," he replied, leaning in still closer. "Then�I suppose�you should�go�to it?" she replied, attempting to be playful, but breathing was becoming more difficult with each word. An eternity passed in which they were so close, each one could feel the other's breath; then in one moment, one slow, decided action, Darcy closed the gap. The first touch of his lips sent such sensations running through her as she had never imagined. She kissed him back timidly at first, but as his ardour increased, so did hers. He could hardly believe that Elizabeth was finally in his arms. He never wanted to stop kissing her; he wished for time to simply freeze so he could kiss her forever. After many long moments in this passionate embrace, Darcy pulled back for breath as much as to keep himself from taking too many liberties in his current state of discomposure. When Elizabeth leaned against his chest, he put his arms around her and just held her, planting soft kisses in her hair. "Oh Mr. Darcy," she whispered, barely audibly. Knowing his resolve wouldn't last much longer, he increased the space between them slightly more. "I'm afraid you will think me terribly rude Miss Bennet. I asked permission to court you, not kiss you, and yet look what I did. I hope I have not� inconvenienced you with my ungentlemanlike behavior," he half-joked, looking at her with a hint of trepidation. "I certainly did nothing to stop you did I sir?" she replied softly. "You are hardly more to blame than I am." He relaxed a bit. "Than you do not rescind your permission?" She smiled widely. "No sir, I do not." His face glowed with indescribable joy. "Then I shall take advantage of your kindness once more," he said, swept her into his arms, and gave her another strong, passionate kiss. She laughed when he let go and hugged him tightly. "Have a good trip tomorrow Elizabeth. I will come to call on you in Hertfordshire as soon as I am able, I promise you." He kissed her hand tenderly and began to walk away. Just before he let go of her hand, he turned back to her and said, "Good night my dearest Elizabeth." Elizabeth could only softly reply, "Good night my love." Next section... |