by Leenie Brown
“Well done, Lizzy. Your uncle Phillips could not have stated it better,” encouraged Mr. Gardiner. “My brother–in-law Phillips is a country solicitor,” he explained upon noting the many inquisitive looks directed at him. Elizabeth patted his hand in appreciation. She began to pace about the group, circling the chair on which Colonel Fitzwilliam sat. She came to a stop directly behind him, making him very uneasy indeed. She placed a hand on the back of his chair and smiled clearly enjoying the fact that her opponent was uncomfortable.
No, she is definitely not conceding, observed Lord Matlock. He smiled at her ability to make his decorated, war-veteran of a son squirm. If she were a man, I could use her help in the House of Lords when trying to carry my point. His opinion of the young lady was growing by the minute.
“As you will soon understand,” said Elizabeth, “there are actions and attitudes that do not reflect well on some of the persons involved in this story, and the repetition of certain events will no doubt be mortifying to some.” Elizabeth swallowed, drew a deep breath and began. “Last fall, Mr. Bingley came to Hertfordshire to lease an estate called Netherfield. Netherfield is the estate closest to my father’s estate of Longbourn. It is, in fact, only three miles away.
“Mr. Bingley had asked Mr. Darcy to accompany him to Hertfordshire to aid him in the setting up of his estate. Shortly after Mr. Darcy’s arrival, a public assembly was held in Meryton. Mr. Bingley, being a lover of company, attended and was accompanied by his sisters, his brother-in-law Hurst, and Mr. Darcy. Mr. Bingley was the only member of his party that seemed at ease and happy to be in attendance. The rest of the group appeared to find the residents of Hertfordshire to be beneath them.”
Elizabeth began to circle the group again, “While at the assembly, Mr. Bingley tried to encourage Mr. Darcy to participate in the dancing. Mr. Darcy, for reasons that I now understand but am not able to disclose, was in no mood to dance. He attempted to politely let Mr. Bingley know that he did not wish to dance, but when that did not work, his dark mood got the better of him, and he made a slighting comment about a young lady who had been suggested as a possible partner.” She had come to stand in front of the colonel again. “That young lady was me,” she said looking at the colonel with an amused twinkle in her eye.
At this, a few gasps were heard around the room, and Colonel Fitzwilliam let out a burst of air and commented, “Not a favourable impression is right.”
“No, not at all,” agreed Darcy.
Elizabeth ignored the comments and turned to address the group. “I do not say this to be boastful, but I am well-liked in my community and word of the slight did nothing to recommend Mr. Darcy to the neighbourhood or, in particular, to myself or my family. Normally, I am not one to take offense at such comments, but, I am ashamed to say, this time I was unwilling to let it go. I looked to find fault with Mr. Darcy and spoke of my opinions of the gentleman openly.”
She turned to face Colonel Fitzwilliam. “It was at this time that I became acquainted with an officer in the militia who was stationed in Meryton.” She gave him a significant look and then glanced briefly at Georgiana. The colonel’s eyes widened in understanding, and Elizabeth gave a slight nod of her head.
She addressed the group once again. “This officer, who shall not be named, claimed a long-standing acquaintance with Mr. Darcy’s family and proceeded to relate some very unflattering stories about Mr. Darcy in particular. Since I was looking for reasons to dislike Mr. Darcy, I believed him against my better judgement and the cautions of my sister, Jane.
“When Mr. Darcy left Netherfield with Mr. Bingley, I was glad to see him go. However, when Bingley did not return as planned, I began to suspect that Mr. Bingley’s sisters and his friend had cautioned him against returning to keep him separated from Jane. My suspicions were later validated.” Elizabeth once again looked pointedly at Colonel Fitzwilliam and was again rewarded with a look of comprehension. “Jane, who had formed an attachment to Mr. Bingley, was heartbroken. I was outraged and, of course, blamed Mr. Bingley’s friend, Mr. Darcy, for my sister’s disappointment.
“Unknown to me, Mr. Darcy was not just separating his friend from a non-advantageous alliance; he was also separating himself from me. Without knowing it, I had, in fact, intrigued Mr. Darcy. However, knowing my lowly circumstances and his family’s expectations, he did not wish to put himself in harm’s way, so to speak.” Here Elizabeth gave a small but arched smile to Lord Matlock before continuing. Lord Matlock shifted uneasily in his chair.
“This is how things stood until I went to Kent to visit my cousin and his new wife. My visit happened to coincide with Colonel Fitzwilliam’s and Mr. Darcy’s yearly visit to Rosings. As I have said already today, we were often in company at this time, and although I did get to observe Mr. Darcy in a different setting, which showed him in a better light, I was still determined to hate him. You can imagine my surprise when he proposed.”
Gasps were heard around the room.
“His timing could not have been worse. For just earlier that day, my suspicions regarding his involvement in the separation of my sister and Mr. Bingley had been confirmed by Colonel Fitzwilliam. So, my ire had already been riled and…” Elizabeth looked at Darcy unsure how much to say.
“And my listing of all the reasons why I should not marry Elizabeth, did nothing to douse the flames of anger,” Darcy continued. “When Elizabeth’s aunt said it was better not to let her loose her temper, she was not exaggerating. An angry woman with a quick wit is not someone you wish to give you a scathing refusal.”
Ah, thought Lord Matlock, that is how he knows the look—personal experience!
“I was quite brutal, was I not?” Elizabeth gave Darcy a playful look.
“Yes, you were. But, I did deserve most of it,” he said with a smile.
“I vented all my frustrations about his arrogance in Meryton, his involvement with my sister, and the lies that I had been told by the formerly mentioned officer. Mr. Darcy left the next day, but before he left, he did give me a written rebuttal to my accusations. I read it, and it caused me to, finally, take a look at why I was so determined to hate him.
“It was my pride. He had wounded my pride, and I was unwilling to forgive him. I was mortified to discover just how badly I had been deceived by the militia officer. It was a humbling experience for both of us.”
“Indeed it was,” agreed Darcy. “I, too, began to evaluate my actions and attitudes and found them to be wanting. I did have an elevated opinion of myself, and displeasure with that forced me to change. I admitted to Bingley my motives for my actions, and he was justly furious with me for a time. I also began to look at people as people and not just owners of possessions. There are many good people, people of great character, who are not of the first circles. It was a painful, but necessary, lesson. “
“So this is why you did not wish to tour Pemberley when on holidays with your aunt and me?” asked Mr. Gardiner.
“Yes. I was so ashamed of how I had treated Mr. Darcy. I was sure he would despise me, and rightly so.”
“But, he did not, Lizzy. He was a gracious host.”
“Yes, he was. That is when I truly knew how utterly wrong I had been about him. He was not proud; he was reserved and very concerned about fulfilling all the duties to which he felt bound.” Again, Elizabeth turned to give Lord Matlock a pointed look, but with a softer, gentler smile than before.
“He was a good and kind master according to his housekeeper; a better brother could not be found according to his sister; and Mr. Bingley found him to be a trusted friend. Every preconceived notion had been thoroughly refuted and replaced with the knowledge that a better man could not be found. And that, Colonel Fitzwilliam was when and how my opinion of your cousin changed.”
“And the proposal? How did you become engaged if you had refused him?” Colonel Fitzwilliam wanted to know.
“I only refused his first proposal, Colonel. The second proposal came about thanks to the participation of Lady Cat
herine.” Elizabeth’s eyes twinkled and her lips turned up ever so slightly.
“Aunt Catherine?”
Elizabeth nodded. “She had heard rumours that Mr. Darcy and I were engaged. This was not the case, but she came to Longbourn to talk me out of it. She was relieved when she heard there was no understanding between Mr. Darcy and myself but found it insupportable when I would not agree to never become engaged to Mr. Darcy. What did she call me?”
“A fortune-hunting adventuress,” Darcy answered disdainfully.
“Yes, that was it. She also called me headstrong and obstinate as well as a few other things. Not being satisfied with my answer, she went to Mr. Darcy and related the substance of her conversation with me to him. The effect that it had was exactly the opposite of what she had hoped.”
“It was the first time in months that I dared to hope Miss Elizabeth would welcome a renewal of my application. I knew that if she were dead set against me, she would have told Aunt Catherine. So, after Aunt Catherine left, I immediately sought an invitation to Netherfield and once there, joined Bingley when he went to call on Miss Bennett.”
“And, as I said earlier, Colonel Fitzwilliam, on a walk while chaperoning my sister and Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy proposed for the second time, and this time, knowing that he was a man I could and did respect and love, I accepted. Then, the true work began—convincing my father that the man who slighted his favourite daughter was good enough to marry her.” She took her seat next to Darcy signalling that her story was at an end.
“That was a bit harder than I had ever imagined,” said Darcy. “And that brings us to now. Happily engaged.” He took Elizabeth’s hand and smiled warmly at her with that familiar intensity in his eyes.
“That is quite the story,” said Lord Matlock. “It seems that I—we may have misjudged your young lady, Darcy.”
“It is not every day that a fortune hunter turns down a wealthy man, is it?” Elizabeth arched an eyebrow and addressed her soon-to-be uncle.
“No, it is not. And, I believe that anyone who can put Lady Catherine in her place will definitely be a welcome part of this family.” He chuckled. “So you are marrying him for love and respect, is it?”
“Yes. If I had cared for wealth or position, I would have accepted either Mr. Collins’ proposal or Mr. Darcy’s first proposal. While it is true that wealth and position may be a benefit of marriage for some, I would ask at what cost if there is not love and respect? Jane and I promised each other long ago that we would never marry without affection. And, being headstrong and obstinate, I, of course, was determined to keep that promise.” A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes.
“So what was the slight?” asked Colonel Fitzwilliam.
“That, sir, is part of the original contract for this conversation. It is under the clause of information that must be withheld. You stayed for the story, so you signed the contract and so must accept that this information will not be divulged to you by me.” Elizabeth smiled sweetly at the colonel. “And being…”
“Headstrong and obstinate,” the colonel filled in.
“And perfectly lovely,” added Darcy, “she will not be sharing that information with you.”
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled as she smiled at Darcy, and he braced himself for the teasing that he knew would follow such an enchanting look. “So, I am perfectly lovely this evening, Mr. Darcy? Not just tolerable?” She winked at Colonel Fitzwilliam, who smiled widely and then laughed heartily while Darcy grimaced.
“Darcy, I know that she will not be telling me, but I will find out from you eventually. Be warned, my friend,” he said as he clapped his cousin on the back.
“You should know, my dear cousin, that Lady Catherine is seriously displeased with my marrying Miss Elizabeth and has banned her from Rosings. If you are not nice, I may just let you make this year’s trip without me while I stay at home with my lovely wife.” Darcy’s face lit with a smile at the expression of horror on his cousin’s face.
“A well-deserved punishment for having forced me to tell my tale of shame, do you not think, Colonel Fitzwilliam?” Elizabeth asked with a chuckle. “Let that be a lesson to you about crossing verbal swords with me, Colonel. Just when you think you have won, the tide turns.”
“I see you have finally met your match, Richard,” laughed his father. “Miss Elizabeth, we have been trying for years to out maneuver his witty repartee. Well done. “
“Yes, Miss Elizabeth, you have thoroughly defeated me this time, but I will be better prepared for the next battle.”
“I look forward to the challenge, sir. Now, I must go collect my mother and take her home. I am sure that even my witty repartee will not save me from the scolding I shall receive for having treated Mr. Darcy so abominably.” Elizabeth laughed and rose to leave.
“I shall walk you out, Miss Elizabeth. Perhaps I can convince your mother that you are not at fault as much as she thinks?”
Placing her hand in the crook of his proffered arm, Elizabeth said, “I would enjoy the company, Mr. Darcy, but I know my mother, and I shall have to bear the brunt of this.” She leaned into his arm more closely. “You know you give in to him too easily.”
“So you have said, but I choose to avoid the many methods of torture that he can and has used on me in the past to extract information. It really is better for my health to give in a little too easily.”
“I shall have to keep that in mind,” whispered Elizabeth causing the colour to rise in Darcy’s cheeks.
“Elizabeth Ann Bennett,” began her mother. “I need to talk to you.”
“Yes, Mama, I know,” replied Elizabeth. “Good night, Mr. Darcy. You really are the best of men. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“Good night, dearest, loveliest, Elizabeth.” He pressed a lingering kiss to her fingers. “I love you and could not imagine my life without you in it. I am glad you gave me a second chance.” Then forgetting propriety, he drew her into an embrace and gently kissed her on the forehead. “What are they going to do? Make me marry you?” He replied to her shocked expression. “Besides, it will give your mother something else to scold you about instead of your refusing my proposal.”
“Yes, that is what I need, more scolding. You, sir, are incorrigible.” She chided gently. Standing on her tip toes, she gave him a small kiss on the cheek before walking away to face her mother.
6
Two Days in November
18 November 1811
Darcy watched the slim figure that sat on the stile. Immediately, he knew who it was. He had studied and come to admire that light and pleasing figure a great deal and had missed it in the last six and thirty hours since its departure from Netherfield. He smiled in remembrance of the lady’s quick wit and determined air—also things he had missed since her return to Longbourn. There was not one member of the Bingley family who could engage his interest in conversation in the same manner in which she could.
He shook his head and chided himself. It would not do to long for what could not be. She was a gentleman’s daughter—but the gentleman and his wife, not to mention his youngest daughters, were so unrefined. Added to that, he had heard more than once that all of the five daughters had a very meager portion. To pursue such an interest and possible match was imprudent, yet he felt drawn to her. He could not deny he found her fascinating and desired to be in her presence—if only for a few moments. So, against his better judgement, he walked his horse in her direction.
Elizabeth heard the horse’s approach and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. She had hoped her early outing would go unnoticed, but it was not to be. She glanced over her shoulder to see who had discovered her in such a state with eyes and nose red from her distress. She groaned silently. Of all the people to find her, it had to be him. She was certain her current appearance would make him sorry he had been so generous as to call her tolerable.
“Miss Elizabeth, are you well?” he inquired, as he approached her. There was a genuine concern, almost a hint of panic, in
his voice.
She stood and curtsied, “I am well, Mr. Darcy.” Her eyes took in the state of her boots and skirts as she looked down. Again, he was to find her muddy. “I am but a bit melancholy this morning.”
She hoped he would exchange a few more pleasantries and be on his way, but he stopped, swung down from his horse, and came to stand across the stile from her. “Please, be seated. I do not wish to take you from your repose. Might I join you for a few moments?”
Startled, she blinked twice before realising what he had asked. “Of course, but I fear I shall not be pleasant company.”
He stepped over the stile, picked out a grassy spot near her feet, and astonished her by sitting on the ground. “I do not ask to join you so you might entertain me as a one would a guest in their parlour. You appear to be carrying a heavy burden, and I only wish to offer my assistance.”
He leaned back on his hands and gazed toward the sky, uncertain if he was being wise or foolish. She appeared so vulnerable that he only desired to comfort her. However, in so doing, he was placing his heart in the dangerous position where a stronger attachment might be formed–one that he might not ever be able to break. He sat quietly as she smoothed her skirts and fidgeted with the sleeve of her pelisse.
Finally, she spoke. “Mr. Darcy, do you not wonder why my sister, as beautiful and pleasing as she is, remains unwed at the age of three and twenty?”
“No, I had not considered it.” In truth, he had not considered age or looks when thinking of Jane’s state of matrimony. He had only considered her family and her fortune. “I have heard that she has not had a Season, so I assumed it was the lack of suitable gentlemen.”
