“Those are high praises for Miss Elizabeth. Why did you feel you needed to come here to tell me about her?”
“Because it seems to me that she possesses many of the attributes you want in a woman, except, of course, she has no high connections and her family is undistinguished.”
“Which, as you know, are two of the requirements my wife should have.”
“If Farrington does not need them, why do you? You are wealthy and have all the connections you need.”
“Farrington is a second son. I am not. I am the head of my family and my family expects much of me. Also, I have Georgiana to consider. Who I marry will affect her ability to find a suitable husband.”
“I am glad I am not you, Darcy. I may marry whom I wish, if she will accept me. I think she will, and I look forward to a happy life. I hope you may find the same kind of love and happiness I anticipate but having seen the class of women from whom you must choose, I confess, I find it difficult to believe you will. And with that, I will leave you to your book.”
After he had gone, Darcy found it hard to concentrate on his book. Is Bingley right? Am I truly destined to have a less than happy life, as many of my peers have had to endure? Is my family’s status more important than my happiness? Could Georgiana not find a suitable husband if I did not marry someone of the upper circles of society? And what is suitable for her? Is it happiness or prestige?
He put down his book and cogitated his questions. He still recalled his emotional reaction to Elizabeth, even though he had not seen her. Suddenly, he knew he had to see her in person. He had the feeling he should take an early ride the next morning.
******
Shortly after three o’clock in the morning, Caroline, in her sheerest nightgown, quietly opened the door to her room and looked up and down the hallway, to ensure no one was there. She then stepped into the hall and, with the master key for the bedrooms of that hallway in her hand, which she had as mistress of the house, she quietly tiptoed to Darcy’s room. Once again, looking around, she slipped the key in the lock, unlocked the door, and slowly swung it open enough to allow her to enter.
She had no more than started to step in the room, before she saw a huge shape in front of her and a menacing growl from Polegra. She gave a loud gasp, backed up, turned, and quickly ran to her room, hoping the dog would not follow her. When she reached her door, she quickly opened it, slipped through the opening, and closed it firmly, hoping no one heard.
Darcy, who had been in a deep sleep, briefly awakened as all that was transpiring, but because everything was quiet by the time he was awake enough to possibly hear something, there was no sound. He lay there listening for a while, without rising, decided it was nothing, and turned on his side to go back to sleep. What he had not seen was that his door was partially open and Polegra was lying on the floor in the opening, head on her paws, looking down the hall in the direction from which Caroline had come.
When Morris came to the room to awaken Darcy at 6:30, so he could eat an early breakfast and take an early morning ride, he found Polegra still lying in the doorway, the door slightly ajar, and what looked like a key just in front of Polegra’s paws. He bent, picked it up, and determined it was, in fact, a key, and from the looks of it, thought that it might be a master key to the bedrooms. Being a clever man, he deduced that someone had tried to stealthily enter Darcy’s room during the night, not knowing Polegra slept in the room with him, and had been confronted by her. He could imagine only one person who might do that.
Morris awakened Darcy and helped him prepare for the morning, not saying anything about what he had found until Darcy was ready to leave the room. He then gave the details of what he found when he arrived, stating his belief that the key was a master key for the bedrooms, but letting Darcy make his own conclusion about what had happened.
Chapter 5: An Early Morning Ride
When Darcy entered the dining room for some breakfast before he took his early morning ride, to his surprise, he was joined by an obviously sleepy Bingley, still dressed in his bed clothes.
“What are you doing here so early, Bingley? You do not usually arise before 8:30.”
“I knew you would probably be taking an early ride, and I wanted to catch you before you went. I told you last night I was to call on Miss Bennet this morning at ten o’clock, but I forgot to ask you if you would accompany me. She suggested we take a walk, for which we will need a chaperone. She did not know if her sister Elizabeth would be available, and we do not want her sister Mary; therefore, she thought perhaps you or one of my sisters might chaperone us. You can imagine my reaction to having one of my sisters as a chaperone; therefore, I would ask if you would be willing to chaperone us.”
“You do know what you are asking of me, do you not? You are asking me to walk alone for a considerable distance while the two of you talk and become better acquainted. Do they not have a footman or maid who could chaperone you?”
Bingley sighed. “No, they do not have a large staff and she assures me, none of them are available for a walk. I understand if you do not want to do it. We can sit in the parlor with the door open and talk, but she fears her younger sisters may be a problem. I hope you know, I would never ask you unless I was desperate.”
Darcy contemplated Bingley’s request for a time, recalling his last meeting in London with his friend, Lord Weatherstone. They had begun discussing Darcy’s difficulty relating to people, particularly women in the ton, and Weatherstone became almost disturbingly frank with him. He had started by assuring Darcy that among his friends, he was considered one of the best of men ‒ honest, trustworthy, and a caring, resourceful friend on whom they can always count on to help them if they needed it. But they also believed that his social behavior was often unacceptable, causing him to upset people when he had no intention of doing so. With respect to women, he suggested Darcy quit being so judgmental when he first met one – instead, regardless of his initial impression, smile at her, willingly speak of inconsequential things, compliment her, treat her as if she was something special, and allow himself to sense what she was truly like, rather than conducting a point by point examination of her. And he should also lose his tendency to put on his ‘Darcy mask,’ which made him look disapproving and unapproachable, when at large social events. Instead, he should smile more often and willingly engage others in conversation, even if they spoke of completely uninteresting topics, and at least attempt to listen attentively, for if someone of his status shows someone he is interested in what they are saying, they will think him a very wise and personable man. Weatherstone’s parting statement was, “It takes work to be pleasant to those you do not know well, but it can be worth it. You should give it a try.”
Darcy had decided, after that talk Weatherstone, that he would make an effort to heed what his friend had told him and try to be a more congenial man. Perhaps it would allow him to be successful in finding a wife in the coming Season. And he supposed there was no time like the present to start being that friendlier and more accommodating man. Thus, Darcy said, “Very well. I will do as you ask.”
Bingley was so flabbergasted that Darcy agreed, he could say nothing for a moment. He had been certain Darcy would not agree. Then he jumped up and went to Darcy, who also stood, and held out his hand. When Darcy took it, he shook it enthusiastically.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You cannot know how much I want this, and I promise, I will repay you, whatever the cost. I plan to leave here twenty minutes before ten. Do you want to meet me here or on the way there?”
“I will simply answer yes. Be assured, if I am not here by 9:40, I will meet you on the road.”
“Thank you again. Now I am going to return to bed and try to get another hour of sleep.”
“Before you go, I have something else to discuss with you.” He then proceeded to tell Bingley what Morris had discovered when he came to wake him and gave Bingley the key Morris had found. “I suspect, if you check with Mrs. North, you will find this is a ma
ster key to the bedrooms in that hall, and if Mrs. North is not missing hers, then I believe we both know who had this key. If what I suspect is true, then your sister has gone beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior, and you must decide who stays here the next few weeks, for I will not stay here if she does.”
Bingley looked shocked and dismayed. “I cannot believe she would do such a thing. There must be another reason. Please, Darcy, do not do or say anything until I can get to the bottom of this.”
“You have today and tomorrow. If this incident is not resolved to my satisfaction, I will leave.”
“I assure you, I will take care of it before then.”
******
Darcy decided to return to Oakham Mount to see what the area looked like at that time of year. The trees had started changing color, and he thought the view might be quite colorful. Also, having Polegra with him, he wanted to show her to Elizabeth if she was there with Calabas. Thus, he was pleased, as he was riding up the path, to once again hear singing and smiled to himself, thinking, “And so it begins. I will see how I feel about Miss Elizabeth. I will not examine her. I will just converse with her and try to sense what kind of woman she is.”
Shortly after he and Polegra entered the clearing, Darcy saw the back of a young woman sitting on the boulder in the center of the clearing, singing as she brushed her beautiful, long, chestnut brown hair. Calabas, who had heard them approach, confronted them as they entered the clearing, but did not growl or act menacing; he just blocked their path. Apparently, the young woman, whom he assumed was Elizabeth, was unaware of his arrival.
He dismounted in front of Calabas and watched as Polegra and Calabas looked at each other for a few moments, and then, with wagging tails, they greeted one another, as if they knew they were siblings, which, in fact, they must be, for Darcy had also received Polegra from Sir Ronald and Lady Inez four years earlier.
As he was watching the dogs, he heard Elizabeth say, “Ah, Sir Knight. I see you have returned to the realm of the Lady of the Mount. I am surprised to see you here, so early in the morning, when I believed my peace would be undisturbed. Also, I see that you have brought a female Irish Wolfhound to distract Calabas from his chaperone duties.
When he turned to her, he could not say anything for a moment, for he had imagined she might be pretty, but with her gorgeous hair spilling over her shoulders and an enchantingly beautiful smile, he believed she may be the handsomest woman of his acquaintance. He could also see that his intense gaze at her caused her to blush, which made her even more captivating.
Finally, he gathered himself and, with a bow, said, “I am most pleased to finally meet you in person, Miss Elizabeth. One reason I did not go to the assembly last night was so I would be fresh to come up here this morning. I love early morning rides and could always hope that the Lady of the Mount would be here, and, of course, I had to bring Polegra to meet her brother.”
“Her brother? Is she one of the two females that was born in the litter of which Calabas was one?”
“She is.”
“I am also pleased to meet you up close, Mr. Darcy. I must admit, I thought there was a small probability you would appear today, possibly with Mr. Bingley; therefore, I am more decently dressed. I believe I am presentable enough, as long as you are not shocked that my hair is down.”
“I assure you I am not shocked. In fact, your hair is lovely. I am glad it is down.”
“However, propriety demands I put it up and put on my bonnet. I hope you will excuse me for a moment, while I do. Please excuse me, but my bonnet is hanging on the bush behind you.”
He surprised her and to some extent, himself, by saying, “Is it truly necessary? It would be a shame to hide such beautiful hair.”
She became somewhat flustered, because she knew she should do as she had intended, but she was also quite pleased that he obviously liked her appearance with her hair down. Finally, she said, “I suppose, since we are in my realm, I can leave it down, but you must not tell my father I did so.”
“I promise, neither I nor Polegra nor even my horse will utter a word about it.”
“Very well, I will hold you to your promise. May I ask? Did Mr. Bingley ask you to chaperone them this morning?”
“He did. Did Miss Bennet ask you?”
“She did, therefore, we will see each other again quite soon. In fact, had you arrived ten minutes later, you would have seen us walking down the trail, and my hair would have been properly beneath my bonnet. I have been here for some time.”
The last thing Darcy wanted to happen was for her to leave now that he had finally met her in person. His talk with Bingley had assured him that she was far from ugly and misshapen, but he had not been prepared for how exceedingly beautiful she was. And looking into her eyes, he thought he saw an intelligence and joy of life he had never seen in a woman. “Would you not be willing to stay and speak with me a moment?”
She hesitated. She knew she should not, but she also knew she wanted to speak with him. “Only for a moment. With only Calabas with me, my father would not consider it proper for us to be together in this place, given we have never been formally introduced. Believe me, I am protecting you as much as myself. If my father should somehow discover we were together here for a significant amount of time, he would require you to state your intentions.”
“Surely the Lady of the Mount has magic powers which can ensure no one learns of our time here together.”
Being perplexed, Elizabeth said, “Sir Knight, I know not what to make of you. Your willingness to pretend with me is not the demeanor I would expect of a man of your consequence. Why is it that you allow me to see this side of you?”
“Because you are the first tree sprite I have ever met, and it has magically transformed me, whenever I am in your domain. That was why I was eager to return here – to see if the magic would continue. Truly, despite what I said, I did not expect you to be here. I thought you came here in the afternoon.”
“Actually, I am here more often early in the morning than in the afternoon. Estate duties usually start taking up my time after lunch, and I rarely have a chance to leave the estate at that time. That you found me here that one afternoon was pure chance.”
“It must have been Providence. Undoubtedly, I was meant to meet the Lady of the Mount in her true environment. And now I must confess, I hate to leave, because I have discovered you are not ugly and misshapen and an extremely pleasant companion.”
And I do not want you to leave. I have never had a reaction like this to a man, and I am not sure what to do. This is one time I wish I was more experienced and more sophisticated. Hopefully, I will have time alone with him when we chaperone Jane and Mr. Bingley.
“It is all relative, Sir Knight. When you see me beside my beautiful elder sister, you will see why I think of myself as plain, if not ugly and misshapen. I will admit that ugly and misshapen was stretching the truth a little. May I ask what Mr. Bingley said about me being a chaperone when he asked you?”
“He said Miss Bennet did not think you would be available.”
“I believe my sister is becoming as much a matchmaker as my mother was. She told me Bingley thought you would probably not want to chaperone and therefore, they needed me.”
“She might have asked entirely innocently. Bingley did not expect me to say yes, and, to tell the truth, it is unusual for me to agree. The idea of being the third party while they walked ahead, getting to know one another, was not highly appealing. But I have decided that the taciturn, remote Mr. Darcy needs to turn over a new leaf, and become more social. Therefore, I agreed, much to Bingley’s surprise.”
“It is hard for me to believe you are a high-born gentleman of great wealth, because I have only seen you as Sir Knight. Should I be happy I met you here and not at the assembly or at a tea?”
“You should, if you are enjoying conversing with me. Most of my friends would not believe I am acting and speaking as I am. I am known to be rather reclusive and unsocial.”
“Will Sir Knight disappear once you are off the Mount and the former Mr. Darcy reappear?”
“I will try not to revert completely, because I am not ready to shock all of my acquaintances. Besides, to persons such as the Bingley sisters, I will never even give a hint I have a softer side. Miss Bingley would take it as sure evidence I was in love with her. Neither Bingley nor I can convince her I would never even think of marrying her.”
Then he creased his brow and shook his head. “Why did I tell you that? That is hardly the kind of thing I should tell a young woman on first acquaintance. I hope you forgive me expressing so much personal information on so little acquaintance.”
Elizabeth laughed softly. “Mr. Darcy, much is forgiven in my realm. I will confess to you that my impression of Bingley’s sisters was not good. Miss Bingley, in particular, looked as if she disapproved of everyone and was completely bored with the entire assembly. Even Mr. Farrington warned me about Miss Bingley when I danced with him.”
“Yes, I fear, unless she changes her demeanor, she will never be accepted in the ton. She seems to be oblivious to the fact that most tend to avoid her when she attends a ball or party. If she did not have her sister with her, she would have little conversation at such events.”
“Sir, I would guess the time has come for us to depart so that we may be on time for our chaperone duties. May I assume you intend to have Polegra with you as you provide chaperone services?”
“You may. Will you join me with Calabas or do you intend to leave me to bear the chaperone burden by myself?”
“I have promised Jane I will be a chaperone, so a chaperone I will be. However, given your expressed dislike of the task, you may bow out if you wish.”
“I have vowed to turn over a new leaf and try to be more sociable in the future. Agreeing to chaperone Miss Bennet and Bingley is something I thought I should do to follow that vow. Therefore, I will be a chaperone also. Besides, I said I did not enjoy being the only chaperone. Having such a witty companion chaperone will surely turn what might have been an onerous task into a pleasant one. Also, I am still anxious to see just how ugly you are compared to your sister.”
The Lady of the Mount and Patience Rewarded: Two Stories of Darcy and Elizabeth Page 4
