“Regrettably, modesty has never been one of my particular attributes either,” he said self-deprecatingly. “Pride is my besetting sin, too often without even the mitigating factor of true superiority, only a perceived one.”
She seemed to hesitate for a moment before smiling. “While my acquaintance is not nearly so wide as some, your actions of late have increased my esteem of you until I have to say that I do perceive you as superior among gentlemen, Mr Darcy. ”
Throughout the rest of the meal, Darcy felt as though he was walking upon the clouds. Elizabeth esteemed him. She thought he was superior among gentlemen.
Dining on an excellent meal and conversing among charming company, he thought that he had never passed such an enjoyable evening in the entirety of his life.
CHAPTER TWENTY
At the end of the meal, Mrs Bennet invited everyone to withdraw to the parlour. “For I doubt Mr Bennet can find four clear chairs in his study to accommodate all you gentlemen!”
“I shall most certainly not attempt it,” Mr Bennet agreed dryly. “For shame, Mrs Bennet, even proposing the idea; do you not see the misery plain on Mr Bingley’s face at the mere suggestion of separation from Jane?”
Mr Bingley flushed red, but declared “Our separation has lasted too long already. Pray, do not fault me for wishing to spend every permissible moment in my future wife’s company.”
Gentle laughter greeted the pronouncement; Jane smiled radiantly. “I should go to check on Georgiana, though,” she said conscientiously.
“Certainly not.” Elizabeth rose from her chair, bent to kiss Jane’s cheek. “I can very well do that. You must enjoy your evening, dearest. I shall bid my good nights to you all and withdraw, though; Jane is correct that we have left Georgiana and Kitty alone a little longer than perhaps we ought.”
Darcy had risen to his feet along with the other men when Elizabeth stood. He could not keep his face from falling as she excused herself from the company. Although he appreciated her care and concern for Georgiana, he wished very much to continue conversing with her in the convivial, friendly manner they had fallen into.
“Thank you for your devoted care for my sister, Miss Elizabeth,” he said sincerely as she passed him on her way to the door.
“It is my genuine honour, Mr Darcy.” She gave him a small curtsy and a soft smile before slipping quietly from the room.
Turning back to the group, Darcy found himself being eyed speculatively by both Mrs Gardiner and Mrs Bennet. As the party decamped to the parlour, they cornered him and urged him to a chair between the pair of them. Left with no graceful way out, he stiffened his spine and prepared for the inquisition. It was hardly new territory for him; he had been questioned by predatory mamas ever since reaching his majority, and even before in a few particularly unpleasant cases.
For the first time in his life, though, Darcy found that he did not mind. He was pleased to answer Mrs Bennet’s unsubtle questions about Pemberley and his other properties, happy to be able to inform her that Pemberley was not subject to an entail and that should he father only daughters, they need never fear any loss of property or prestige.
“My mother’s dower properties have been set aside for Georgiana’s children, in addition to Georgiana’s dowry of twenty thousand pounds, currently invested in the Funds. There will be no loss to Pemberley’s coffers on her marriage.”
“There are a good many peers of the realm whose seats do not come close to rivalling Pemberley,” Mrs Gardiner told Mrs Bennet.
“Indeed,” Darcy agreed. “In fact, the original owner of Pemberley actually held a title, but fell afoul of Oliver Cromwell. He had at the time, a daughter who was said to be very beautiful. Mr great-great-great-grandfather, Sir James D’Arcy, fell in love with her and petitioned for permission to marry her. Cromwell agreed, and granted him Pemberley.”
“But no title?” Mrs Bennet asked.
“Cromwell was not one to grant titles, I understand, and after the Restoration a man who had been favoured by Cromwell to the extent Sir James had been was not likely to find favour with the monarchy. The Darcys have never been good at sycophancy,” Darcy smiled a little ruefully, “or pretending to revere those we do not believe worthy of respect.”
Mrs Gardiner looked amused. Mrs Bennet humphed quietly and shook her head. “A shame, a shame. Lady Elizabeth would sound very well, indeed,” she mumbled, not nearly quietly enough.
“Fanny,” Mrs Gardiner said reprovingly, stifling a chuckle. “Steady on, now. You have a wedding to plan already.”
“Oh, indeed!” Diverted, Mrs Bennet clapped her hands, beaming with joy. “Only think how beautiful a bride Jane will be! June, that will be the perfect month for a wedding…”
Darcy laughed, and failed to turn it into a cough quickly enough as Mrs Bennet turned an enquiring look on him. “I do not think that Bingley will want to wait so long,” he understated.
All three of them looked across to where Jane and Bingley sat side by side on the couch, Bingley holding Jane’s hand in his and gazing at her with rapturous adoration clear on his face. Gone was the shy diffidence Jane had previously exhibited in his company; she held his gaze and smiled lovingly back at him.
“Perhaps you are right,” Mrs Bennet said thoughtfully. “Perhaps before Lent begins, then… when is Easter this year? Where did I put my almanac, now?” Rising, she went off to look for it, leaving Darcy sitting with Mrs Gardiner.
“Elizabeth is a quite exceptional young woman,” Mrs Gardiner said after they had looked at each other for a few moments.
“Yes, she is,” Darcy agreed.
“She writes to me regularly, you know. Quite a devoted correspondent, our Lizzy. Indeed, it was only a few weeks ago that I received a letter from her telling me all about the charming Mr Bingley who had rented Netherfield and was courting Jane, and the outrageously proud Mr Darcy who managed to egregiously insult Lizzy before they were ever even introduced.”
Darcy winced. “That Mr Darcy was a nincompoop, if I may be frank, madam.”
Mrs Gardiner laughed at his remark. “Indeed?”
“He failed to recognise the brilliance of Miss Elizabeth’s complexion, the extraordinary fineness of her eyes, the entrancing arch of her eyebrows. He did not appreciate her sharp wit or her loving loyalty to her family. That Mr Darcy was a stubborn, proud, wilfully blind idiot, and I am sure that everyone who met him would just as soon forget that he ever existed.”
Mrs Gardiner looked highly diverted. “Indeed! And may I ask what happened to change that Mr Darcy into the humble, charming gentleman I see before me?”
“He fell in love, madam,” Darcy said simply, “and discovered that all his wealth and connections were as nothing in the eyes of the lady he so greatly esteemed. In his folly, he tried to separate himself from the object of his affections, hoping to forget her in the diversions of London.”
“I daresay that was a plan doomed to failure.” He could tell that Mrs Gardiner was silently laughing at him; her eyes danced with merriment.
“It was indeed. One glimpse of Miss Elizabeth again and I knew all my efforts had been for naught; it was time to face the truth and accept that if I was ever to be worthy of her, I must redeem my previous poor showing.”
“For what it is worth,” Mrs Gardiner said kindly, “I think that Lizzy greatly prefers the current Mr Darcy to the one she knew before.”
“At the present time, that is all I could possibly ask for.” Their detente was still too new for Darcy to entirely trust it; at any moment he and Elizabeth could find themselves at odds again.
Mrs Gardiner nodded to him. “Rushing Lizzy would be an unwise thing to do, I think. I believe that you already know of Mr Collins’ failed proposal?”
Darcy frowned. “Surely you do not compare me to Mr Collins…?”
“There is that haughty tone, Mr Darcy.” Mrs Gardiner’s eyes twinkled, though. “I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting the gentleman in question, so I am not entirely sure how great
an insult I have just dealt you. However, my mention of his failed suit was intended only to gently remind you that Lizzy would have no compunctions about turning down a man she did not believe she could love or respect, no matter his wealth or circumstances.”
Enlightenment dawned. “Ah.”
Mrs Gardiner smiled as she saw that he had taken her point. “I will leave you to think on the matter, Mr Darcy. Thank you for a most enlightening conversation.” Rising gracefully to her feet, she crossed the room to where Mary sat alone and took a seat beside her niece.
The remainder of the evening passed in convivial conversation, until Mr Bennet at last coughed politely and suggested that it might be time to have Bingley’s horse brought around.
“Where are you staying?” Darcy asked as Bingley rose to his feet reluctantly.
“Netherfield, of course; I sent my man there while I came straight here. The house will not be fully opened up yet, but it will do well enough until I can bring some more of the servants back in. You are welcome to remove there with me, Darcy; my sisters will not be joining me.”
Darcy hesitated. “While I am loathe to leave you without company, Bingley, I would prefer to remain in the same house as Georgiana while she is ill. I suspect you will be spending your waking hours here at Longbourn anyway, hm?”
Bingley agreed, entirely without shame. “Still, you know you will always be welcome,” he said, before taking his leave. Mr Bennet permitted Jane to go into the hall with him for a minute to say a private good night, and she came back into the parlour rosy-cheeked, her eyes shining, before immediately excusing herself to go upstairs.
Georgiana was asleep when Jane crept quietly back into the bedroom, Elizabeth sitting beside the fire quietly knitting. Looking up, she smiled at her sister, and Jane at once rushed to her aide, sinking to her knees and throwing her arms around Elizabeth, barely avoiding impalement on a knitting needle.
Elizabeth chuckled softly and hugged Jane back. “Oh, dearest, it warms my heart to see you so happy!”
“I do not deserve such happiness, I am sure…”
“Nobody deserves it more than you!” Elizabeth exclaimed loyally. “I described the look on your face when you saw Mr Bingley to Kitty and Georgiana and they both agreed that it is quite the most romantic thing they have ever heard of.”
Jane smiled radiantly. “I had not allowed myself to truly believe he would come,” she confessed, “even when Mr Darcy said he intended to write, and certainly not that Mr Bingley would drop everything to rush back to me!”
“Is that what happened?”
“So he said. Oh, Lizzy, I never dreamed of receiving such a proposal!” Jane settled into the chair beside Elizabeth. “Charles said…”
“Oh, it is Charles now, is it?” Elizabeth said teasingly. Jane laughed, her cheeks blushing even more brightly, but she nodded.
“He fell to his knees and said ‘I have been God’s greatest fool, my angel, my Jane; say that you will forgive this poor fool?’ and then when I said there was nothing to forgive, he said that I was always too good.”
“As you are,” Elizabeth interjected.
Jane waved a hand at her. “Oh, stop! I told Charles to get up and he said, oh Lizzy, it was the most romantic thing “I have ridden here from London without pause, my dearest, and I will not rise until you tell me, am I utterly without hope? Have my foolish actions forever ruined our chance at happiness?’”
“Oh.” Elizabeth pressed a hand to her heart, feeling tears welling in her eyes. “Oh, Jane, such sentiments would be very hard to resist, even for someone far more hard-hearted than you.”
Jane smiled mistily. “I know. Indeed, I could hardly speak for a moment, I was quite overcome, and then… I do not quite know what came over me, but I said in quite a tart tone ‘Well, it took you long enough!’”
Elizabeth stared at Jane for a moment before covering her mouth with her hands to muffle the shrieks of laughter which attempted to erupt from her. Jane giggled too, her cheeks flushing ever brighter.
“Papa burst out laughing too; I had quite forgot he was in the room! And then he told Charles that he had best get on with it and say the words so that I could respond, and Charles chuckled and said ‘Indeed, I shall… Miss Bennet, dearest angel, will you marry me?’”
“That is very romantic,” Georgiana said drowsily from the bed. “I must be sure and tell my brother, or he will undoubtedly make a mull of his proposal.”
“Georgiana! I am so sorry, I did not mean to wake you.” Both Jane and Elizabeth rose and hurried over to the bed as Jane spoke.
Georgiana smiled up at them. “I am glad you did. I am so happy for you, Jane; Mr Bingley is such a very nice man. You will make a perfectly charming couple. When will you marry?”
“I don’t know… perhaps after Easter.” Jane smiled, touched Georgiana’s hand. “Would you like to come to the wedding? I am sure that Charles - Mr Bingley - will want your brother to stand up with him, and I should be very pleased to have you there too.”
“Very much,” Georgiana agreed with a happy little smile. Her eyelids had already drifted shut, and Jane and Elizabeth retreated to the fireplace, careful to speak in whispers so as not to wake her again.
“I am too excited to sleep, Lizzy! You go and rest, and I will wake you later,” Jane urged. “We can talk more tomorrow; I know the others will want to hear all about it too.”
“All right, dearest,” Elizabeth conceded, hugging Jane once more. “Do not forget a single detail, though, I want to hear everything!”
“Of course.” Jane squeezed her hand. “Of course, Lizzy; I will share everything with you, I promise.” She leaned close and whispered into Elizabeth’s ear “Even the fact that Charles kissed me in the hallway when he was saying good night… and I liked it.”
Elizabeth had to clap both hands over her mouth to suppress the squeal that threatened to erupt. She looked at Jane with sparkling, laughing eyes and shook her head. “Jane Bennet, I never would have thought it of you!”
Giggling, Jane pushed her towards the door. “One day, Lizzy, you will be kissed by a man you love, and then you will completely understand.”
Chuckling, Elizabeth let Jane urge her from the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Turning about to cross the landing to Jane’s bedroom, she almost collided with Mr Darcy.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Mr Darcy!” Elizabeth gasped, placing a hand to her wildly fluttering heart. “You startled me!”
“My apologies,” he said, a little stiffly. “I was just retiring for the night.” He held a candlestick in one hand, had reached out the other to catch her arm, steadying her as she stumbled back from their near-collision.
The candle’s tiny light cast his face in shadow, made his dark eyes look depthless as he gazed down at her. His hand was warm through the thin sleeve of her gown, strong and steadying.
Elizabeth suddenly found it very hard to breathe.
She had always been aware, of course, that Mr Darcy was an exceptionally handsome man. Tall and broad-shouldered, he was favoured too with a strong jaw and high cheekbones, black hair curling onto his broad brow, dark eyes which snapped with intelligence. Or contempt, depending on his mood.
Right now those dark eyes expressed something else entirely, as they stared at each other in silence and he made no move to release her arm.
“Is Georgiana well?” Darcy said at last.
“Very well,” Elizabeth said on a gasp, relieved to have the silence broken. For perhaps the first time in her life, she hadn’t been able to think of a single thing to say. “She is sleeping now; Jane will sit with her for the first part of the night before rousing me.”
“You need your rest, too,” Darcy said. “I would not have you take sick also, not for the world.”
His voice was soft and deep, the emotion behind his words genuine. Elizabeth sucked in a ragged breath.
“I will be well, I thank you, Mr Darcy. I am going to bed now.”
“Y
es.”
They stood there frozen for another long minute before Darcy let his hand fall at last.
“Good night, Elizabeth,” he said softly.
She gasped.
“Forgive me. You have been only Elizabeth in my mind for so long… I forget myself, I fear.” He passed his free hand over his eyes, sighed. “Forgive me,” he said again, looking down penitently at his feet.
“Georgiana calls you Will,” Elizabeth said, hardly knowing what she did.
Darcy’s dark gaze snapped back up to hers. “I should like it if you would call me Will,” he said finally when she did not speak again.
Elizabeth tilted her head, a small smile touching her lips. “Good night then… Will.”
She felt his gaze like a brand on her back as she opened the door to Jane’s room and slipped inside, still smiling. Closing the door behind her, she leaned back against it, her breath coming fast.
Though she and Jane had long ago sworn that they would only ever marry for love, Elizabeth had never known until that moment quite what impact the admiration of a man could have on her, had never felt that fluttering in her breast, the shortness of breath that accompanied it. Mr Darcy had made his admiration of her very clear, had let her know that he had been thinking of her intimately for quite some time.
Whatever she might once have thought of his arrogance, Elizabeth had never denied that Mr Darcy was a man worthy of admiration. That such a man might hold tender emotions towards her was almost beyond her comprehension.
“Will,” she whispered to herself, smiling as she remembered the way he had looked at her when she said his name. Had his eyes lingered on her lips; had he thought perhaps of kissing her?
Pushing away from the door, Elizabeth went to poke up the fire, which had died down to embers, and add another log to burn through the night. She undressed and put on her nightgown and robe, before sitting down on the edge of the bed to take down her hair.
For the first time, Elizabeth considered what marriage would actually entail. How much time would a man like Mr Darcy actually spend with his wife? Would he expect her to share his rooms? Elizabeth could still remember when her own parents had shared a bedroom; it was only in the last few years that Mrs Bennet had taken her own room.
A Christmas Miracle At Longbourn (The Darcy And Lizzy Miracles Book 1) Page 14
