Elizabeth put these thoughts in a safe place to ponder later but she could not sleep.
The tumult in her mind was now painfully great and Darcy’s sudden appearance the day before had discomposed her. Knowing her own thoughts all these many months, she now felt his closeness in a not unpleasant way. Her urges now worked against her as she tried to divert her mind from such dangerous feelings as he had induced when he looked into her eyes. Elizabeth now wished to silence her beating heart by thinking of anything but the man himself, but her eyes were locked onto his tall form and manly figure. She wondered what had brought about this transformation and she did not wish him gone. A sudden warmth and happiness overcame her as she remembered how nervous he appeared when they met on the road to Oakham Mount. Elizabeth would never forget that moment, for that was when she first knew she needed Fitzwilliam Darcy in her life.
****
Darcy’s thoughts at present were of Elizabeth and he wished to see her again in town. When he first left town to ride to Longbourn he was prepared to learn the worse, that Elizabeth had died, but seeing her alive made his life meaningful again. He was pleased that she was kind in receiving him and had invited him to dinner with her sisters and he was certain she preferred him clean shaven. Now he looked forward to telling Bingley about what he had learnt and later he would tell Georgiana after she returned from Pemberley. Darcy was convinced that she would then see that he was happy again and would know that he was in love. Darcy knew how good Elizabeth would be for his sister and he was eager to meet her aunt and uncle and discuss his nieces. He surmised correctly that love of family was important in her life and he planned anew to show a caring side of him to all her relations.
As Darcy was riding to town Mr. Bennet was returning to Longbourn. Since they took the same road it was likely they might pass each other but they must have stopped along the way to rest, for neither saw the other. Mrs. Bennet had recently returned from helping her sister Mrs. Phillips and heard Kitty proclaim that her father had returned.
“Quick, girls,” she said. “Hurry outside to greet your father!”
Mrs. Bennet and the others greeted the man outside and he asked if all were well and of Mrs. Phillips. She replied that all were well and that her sister was better and asked him about his business in town to which he replied his business was concluded with little difficulty.
“Papa, might you have seen Mr. Darcy on your return trip?”
“What in the world are you saying child?”said Mrs. Bennet, excitedly. “London is a large place and the two men were unlikely to cross paths.”
“Yes,” Kitty responded, “but the road to town would have been taken by both Papa and Mr. Darcy, and I thought it was likely they would see one another.”
“Kitty, by your mother’s looks, I believe you need to explain things to both of us and do not tell me that he has proposed to you.”
“Do not be silly Papa, for it was Lizzy who brought him home yesterday for dinner.”
“You had better explain this, Lizzy. Why would a man that you have despised want to come to Longbourn after leaving Netherfield so rudely late last November, and more important than that, why would you wish to dine with him?”
“It was a surprise to me for I saw him on the road to Oakham Mount this time yesterday. He said he saw the story about the sinking and wanted closure because he could not believe that I would run off and elope with George Wickham.”
“But you have not answered why you invited him.”
“Papa, Mr. Darcy rode a long way to enquire of our family and I wanted to learn as much as I could about his friend Mr. Bingley, so I invited him inside because it was turning cold and both of us were tired from our walk.”
“Yes, yes,” her mother exclaimed, “what news did you discover? Did he speak with you, Jane?”
“Yes, and I also wished he would dine with us. All of us spoke with him and he returned for breakfast this morning before leaving for town. We enjoyed his good company.”
“This is all highly unusual. How convenient that both your parents are not around when you do such a thing, but at least we have the staff who knows nothing untoward has occurred. Still, I will speak with you later, Lizzy.”
CHAPTER 2
After arriving home, Darcy rested a few minutes and checked his mail before setting off to see Charles Bingley. The two had not socialized much since returning from Netherfield and the few times they attended a dance or a ball, both men were unhappy with the ladies who attended and they usually left early.
“Come in Darcy, you know it has nearly been a year since the Netherfield Ball. I have missed those times. Come and join me for a brandy and warm yourself by the fire. You seem tired, are you not?”
“Thank you, my friend, I suppose I am a little tired. I just returned from visiting Longbourn.”
“What pray tell were you doing there?” Bingley asked, mystified by the news and wishing to hear more as he nearly choked on hearing such news. He wiped his mouth before continuing. “But wait, I know what it is. You wanted to see for yourself if Miss Elizabeth was dead. There is no other reason for you to have ventured into Hertfordshire. You must have had feelings for Miss Elizabeth the way I did for Miss Bennet and still do, Darcy.”
Darcy could see this was the case as Bingley now became less jovial and more serious.
“You know, I do feel for your loss, Darcy, but have a drink my friend and let it soothe your heart, for you are tired and depressed. It is one thing to mourn Miss Elizabeth from a distance, but it is quite another thing to be at her home amongst her family and share in their pain. I suppose you had to see for yourself and I half wish that I had accompanied you. Did you see Miss Bennet? Is she still unattached?”
“I shall top off your glass but you must make it your last drink, less you make a cake of yourself. Bingley, I have news to report. Miss Bennet invited me to join her sisters for dinner and earlier today I joined them at breakfast. Bingley, the papers were wrong in reporting that Lizzy had died. Lydia had eloped with George Wickham. I met Miss Elizabeth on the road to Oakham Mount and yes, Miss Bennet remains unattached and Miss Elizabeth said she is still in love with you.”
He watched as his friend smiled a wider smile than he had seen since he adored his angel many months ago at Netherfield. Darcy then told about the letters and of Caroline’s hiding Miss Bennet’s visits whilst she was in town visiting with the Gardiners. Bingley was livid and embarrassed and his smile from earlier turned to anger. You know, I was not blind to Caroline’s machinations at Netherfield and she showed utter contempt for the Bennets and especially, Miss Elizabeth. I can only wonder how Miss Elizabeth stood her fury. Caroline wanted neither of us to marry the Bennet women and she is clueless to believe that you would wish to marry her.
“Bingley, I tolerate her for our friendship, but she has carried her hate against the Bennets for too long. Still, both your sisters and I believed that Miss Bennet did not show her feelings. Miss Elizabeth told me that it is not her sister’s way to be so open with her feelings. She accused me of mistaking Jane’s modesty for indifference.”
“I hold myself to task for leaving Netherfield the way we did and only I am to blame, but if she did these things then she cannot stay in my house any longer. I shall discover the truth. Even so, it is too late. My one chance for happiness is gone.”
“No, Bingley, Miss Bennet still cares for you and I believe Miss Elizabeth even finds me better than tolerable.”
“Are you certain of all of this?”
“Yes, Miss Elizabeth told me and Miss Bennet had love written all over her pretty face.”
“Look, Darcy, I am not happy that the Bennets have lost a daughter, but I know you are relieved that Miss Elizabeth is alive, and I cannot believe my angel cares for me, even after all these months.”
“I wished Miss Lydia was alive but she is but another victim of George Wickham, but I am pleased that her sister lives.”
“Just think, Darcy, all this time I have been mis
erable because I was not confident enough to tell Miss Bennet about my feelings and I allowed you and my sisters to persuade me of her indifference, even though I always believed that she cared for me. She must hate me, yet you say otherwise. My heart is touched such that you cannot understand. If Caroline has done such things and cut my angel with her caustic comments and her deceit, I shall return to Netherfield and see about extending the lease there. You are certain she still cares for me?”
“Yes, all she wanted to speak of was you and her eyes flashed happiness just to hear your name. I even heard Miss Kitty tell her other sisters how they all had missed you. Does that not persuade you?”
“I am sufficiently persuaded, Darcy. In fact, I shall visit Hertfordshire the morrow and attempt to renew the lease to Netherfield and I hope to be settled in that estate before Christmas. Neither Caroline nor the Hursts will be welcomed, though I hope you will come.”
“Yes, Bingley, I wish to return as well. Would you mind if I invite my sister? I should like her to meet the Bennets.”
“Of course, Darcy, please invite Georgiana.”
“I have posed a question for Miss Elizabeth regarding her and her sister dining with us in town before Christmas. She told me that sometimes some of her family visit a few days with her relatives in town to shop before the holidays. My plans are to visit Mr. Gardiner on the morrow and ask him to notify me when they have arrived.”
“Perhaps I should go with you, Darcy. This way word would be passed to his nieces that both of us wish to see them. This cannot fail to impress Mrs. Bennet, who you know is always looking to marry off her daughters. If you visit with him early, I shall leave after that to go into Meryton and return after I have concluded my business.”
“Then I shall meet you at his warehouse on the Thames at nine, and we shall speak with him.”
Darcy returned home to finally get a rest from his travels. He was pleased with Bingley’s resolve to return to Netherfield and attempt to woo Jane and later he would accompany his friend when the sisters came to town. He looked forward to introducing Georgiana to Elizabeth and her sister and was optimistic that all would go well.
He knew from his talks with Elizabeth that her uncle was in the warehouse early each day, so he and Bingley arrived within five minutes of each other. As they entered the warehouse office a worker offered them a seat and went to fetch Mr. Gardiner. Soon Mr. Gardiner appeared and Mr. Darcy introduced himself and his friend and asked if they could speak with him privately for a few minutes. Mr. Gardiner listened attentively to Darcy’s news and was surprised. This was the same man he had seen a portrait of in the great hall gallery at Pemberley and he smiled as he remembered how his wife had to pull Elizabeth away from staring at his portrait. He was aware of some of the history between his nieces and these men but now he was inwardly thrilled that both of these gentlemen apparently cared for the two eldest Bennet daughters. The visit did not last long when he replied.
“You gentlemen can count on me advising you of their plans. I expect they will write soon and tell Mrs. Gardiner and me when they will arrive. Of course, they always have an invitation to visit. Lizzy probably has a letter on the way even as we speak. Now if you have the time, you might wish to check out some of my inventory.”
“Mr. Bingley will not be available as he has urgent business to attend to, but I should like to peruse your warehouse, Mr. Gardiner. It should not take me long to do a quick walk through.”
As Bingley left, Darcy and Mr. Gardiner did walk through the man’s warehouse and both used the opportunity to take the measure of each other. Darcy liked the man immediately and saw his intelligence and knew why his uncle liked him. He was a self made man and had grown his business without any help and Darcy could see his warehouse had expensive things from all over the world. No wonder the Earl of Matlock knew Mr. Gardiner. Next he told Darcy of his wife and Lizzy’s visit with him to Lambton during the summer. He then spoke of visiting Pemberley and that he was impressed with the estate and all the good places he could fish. Darcy responded that he arrived just a day after they had left and wished he had met them as he would have enjoyed fishing with him and seeing the others. He then told the man that he would be pleased if they stayed at Pemberley the next time they visited Lambton.
Before he left, Darcy thanked Mr. Gardiner for meeting with them and promising to let them know about his niece’s plans. He next complimented Mr. Gardiner for the quality of his merchandise and said his Uncle, Lord Matlock, spoke highly of the man and his business.
At his home in Cheapside that evening, Mr. Gardiner and his wife discussed Darcy and Bingley’s earlier visit. Both were aware that their nieces were in danger of falling in love. They knew of Jane’s and Bingley’s history but now they saw that Darcy had feelings for their Lizzy as well. That evening they stayed up late talking of this and of Jane’s situation with Mr. Bingley. They wished good news for the Bennets to make Longbourn happy again. Both persons believed the appearance of these fine gentlemen offered an opportunity for one or both of the eldest sisters to marry and start a family. The very next day a letter arrived saying that Jane and Elizabeth would arrive on Wednesday and stay three nights unless they were advised not to come. This was the usual way between them and their nieces and the Gardiners looked on happily to think what might happen.
****
Back at Longbourn Mr. Bennet heard a knock on his library door and invited his second eldest daughter inside.
“Papa, how can you always know that it is me knocking on the door?”
“Come now, Lizzy, who else knocks that way, and you knew I wished to speak with you. I am perplexed, but now that I think back on things, Mr. Darcy always had an eye for you and several times I caught you with your eyes on him. Why did he really come here?”
“He wished to learn for himself if I was on the ship. I suppose he hoped I was not aboard.”
“Yes, Lizzy, that much is clear, but why should he return after nearly a year?”
“He told me that he missed me and frankly I missed him as well. I just missed seeing him by a day when I visited Charlotte in Kent and I also just missed him by a day when we were in Derbyshire, but I wished to see him on those occasions to learn why they left the area so abruptly last year.”
“Does Jane have a chance of reuniting with Mr. Bingley and do you wish to do the same with Mr. Darcy?”
“I believe both of these gentlemen care for us, but for now I seek your approval for Jane and myself to go to town. Mr. Darcy wants to invite us to join him and his sister and Mr. Bingley for dinner. Please say we can go, Papa?”
“Yes, both you and Jane go, Lizzy, and see that Jane secures her man and you take your time with Mr. Darcy. I believe you have him bewitched. Do not forget that these rich men often have their way with single young woman, so be careful, though I never sensed that either man was that way.”
Mr. Bennet sighed as his Lizzy left him alone and he wondered if this news meant the family might soon be happy again. Already the family had lost a daughter but now they might gain two sons and later some grandchildren and he hoped for this over all other things.
****
Darcy returned home after meeting with Mr. Gardiner and that afternoon Georgiana returned from Pemberley.
He greeted her warmly and she looked into his eyes. “William, you look happy again, so tell me this is true?”
“You are correct, Georgiana. Remember me telling you that Miss Elizabeth Bennet died with Mr. Wickham when their ship sank going to Ireland? Well, the story in the paper was wrong. It should have read Lydia and not Lizzy, which is what Miss Elizabeth is called by her friends. Miss Elizabeth is alive.”
“That is good news but it still means the other sister is dead, and for that, I am sorry. William, I have thought for months that you cared for her and when you read the story in the paper you were more depressed than anytime I have known you. What does all of this mean?”
“She and her sister will soon arrive in town to do some shopp
ing and one of those nights we shall have a grand dinner for them and Mr. Bingley. There is more news. Mr. Bingley is in Hertfordshire and will try and extend the lease at Netherfield and if he is successful, we shall spend Christmas there and you can visit the Bennet sisters.”
“This is all too much, William. I am so happy for you, but you must have gone there to learn that Miss Elizabeth was alive, did you not?”
“Yes, I did, because I had to know for certain. You see, recently I believed I saw Miss Elizabeth riding in a carriage. I was nearly certain it was her so I waited a few days and rode to Longbourn and saw her as she walked.”
“This is very romantic, but now you must tell me more details.”
Darcy complied with her request and felt as if a burden had been removed from his heart.
“You had to assuage your heart, but what are you to do now, brother?”
“It will be my job to woo her and make her love me. She is not a woman who would marry me because I am rich. Instead, she will only marry if she is deeply in love.”
“Then we shall make her love you. I am eager to make her acquaintance.”
Privately Georgiana could not comprehend any reason that her brother had for believing that Miss Elizabeth would refuse his hand. Her brother was favored by many as the most eligible bachelor in all the country and no woman would refuse such a man. I must meet this Miss Elizabeth to see what she is all about. She must be wonderful to have captured my brother’s heart.
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Darcy on the Edge Page 3
