Was she attempting to warn him off? Did she not think him worthy of her niece? Mrs. Gardiner frowned at him and sighed. She then leaned slightly closer and spoke in a softer voice.
“Lizzy has never had anyone she could depend upon to take care of her. Her independence was a trait born of necessity, and one she may not be capable of relinquishing entirely. She is most adept at keeping people from getting too close to her, so be certain she is worth the effort. You may have much work ahead of you.”
She smiled warmly at him, then turned her attention to the pianoforte and began to applaud with the others. He looked up to see Georgianna and Elizabeth approaching.
Mrs. Gardiner rose and congratulated Elizabeth on a fine performance, before moving herself and her husband toward Jane and Mr. Bingley to converse with that couple. Georgianna and Elizabeth took the newly opened seats and Darcy sent Mrs. Gardiner a smile of his own at her assistance. She winked back at him before she turned to speak with Jane.
Miss Bingley apparently did not like this development as she soon asked, “Georgianna, dear, do come and sit with Louisa and me. We would love to hear more of your recent time in London.”
“I fear I have no interesting stories of my time to share with you,” Georgianna replied, not moving from the seat she had taken. “But Elizabeth, do tell us what places you have visited on your travels. I would love to hear your opinion of the various sites you have seen.”
Darcy had never been so proud of his sister as he was at that moment for defying Miss Bingley with no visible discomfort. Elizabeth began telling the group of their travels, and he suspected that she recognized Georgianna was near the limits of her composure and would much prefer to fade to the background of the conversation.
As Elizabeth spoke of some of the places they had seen, she glanced at Mr. Darcy. Had he needed anything to make his afternoon more perfect, he received it when Elizabeth smiled at him. He had seen her smile many times, but this one had a different tenor. It came with a knowledge of all that had happened between them, yet showed none of the discomfort or hesitancy he had felt from her earlier. He felt her honest approval at that moment – how long it may last, he knew not – and his hope surged.
Once again, he wished her party had agreed to stay at Pemberley. Now that he had hope, he wished to have her as close as possible. Unfortunately, they would be leaving before much longer for their inn. He had no doubt that Georgianna would invite them and they would return for another visit, but the thought of Elizabeth leaving Pemberley after that smile tore at him.
A crack of thunder shocked them all, causing more than one person to jump. He looked to the window to see the weather had changed. Rain poured from the sky. A sudden gust of wind threw the sheets of water against the window, again startling the group.
Mr. Gardiner rose and walked to the window with Mr. Darcy to assess the situation. Neither had anticipated so strong a storm arriving so early.
“As heavy as the rain is coming down, I would not recommend you venture out any time soon. Please stay with us for dinner. With luck, the weather will have passed and the roads dried out a bit by the time we finish.”
“I fear we are not dressed for dinner,” Mr. Gardiner replied.
“Then join us for an informal supper. I shall have a simpler meal set up that we may all enjoy while we wait out the storm.”
Mr. Gardiner considered for a moment before agreeing that waiting out the storm was the safest choice at present.
~ ~ ~
Rain continued to fall late into the evening. After supper, Darcy requested word on the state of the roads and was delighted to hear rumors of flooding on the road to Lambton. As he and Mr. Gardiner listened to this report, they agreed that staying at Pemberley was the only reasonable choice.
“I will send a servant to collect some of your things from the inn as soon as is possible. Hopefully we will have them here by morning. In the meantime, Mrs. Reynolds will assist you with supplying whatever you may need.” Mr. Gardiner expressed his thanks and the men joined the ladies to apprise them of the plan.
Elizabeth appeared distressed at the thought of staying, but he could not be sure if her upset was due to the necessity of their change in plans or due to a real dislike of staying in his home. He would do all he could to see to the comfort of her party and hope that was enough.
He had been gifted with another of her pleased smiles at supper. While Miss Bingley had grumbled about changing their dinner plans, Elizabeth and the Gardiners appeared grateful he had provided an option that would not show them to disadvantage. Georgianna and Bingley, naturally, had been delighted at the idea of an informal supper and viewed the event as an exciting novelty.
Elizabeth had looked at him often during their meal with an expression he could not quite make out. She was certainly not displeased, but he was afraid to attempt any further interpretation of her glances. He tried to moderate his hope that she was pleased by his efforts. More than once during the evening he had seen her blush as she responded to some question he had asked. As she had never been a nervous lady, he hoped the color indicated deeper feelings.
He had vowed to become a better man when he thought she would never see the changes he had made. He knew he could not expect his efforts to change her opinion. He could not expect, but he could hope.
CHAPTER 33
Mrs. Reynolds looked out the window to check the weather. The storm continued to rage outside, punctuated by sudden bursts of light and bellowing thunder. Storms always made her joints ache a bit, but such was the price of living a long life and she was not about to let a few aches slow her down.
She instructed a maid to gather some items of Miss Darcy’s that Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth would be able to use for the night. She had already sent a footman on horseback with Mr. Gardiner’s message to the proprietor of the inn that they would be staying at Pemberley and would need some clothes for the next day. As soon as the rain cleared, Mrs. Reynolds would send servants to gather what was necessary and return.
As she made her plans for the evening, she could not help but reflect upon the change in her master since the arrival of Miss Elizabeth. He appeared a great deal happier than she had seen him in quite some time, and his face brightened whenever he saw the lady.
Miss Elizabeth was a well-bred young lady of high spirits. Mrs. Reynolds liked her immensely and hoped she would become the new mistress of Pemberley. She brought a liveliness to the house that had been lacking for quite some time. Mr. Bingley was always a cheerful guest, but even he could not induce the changes she had witnessed this day.
Separate guest rooms had been offered to the ladies, but Miss Elizabeth had responded that she and her sister would do quite well together, and there was no need to create any extra work for the staff on their account. That the lady would even consider the staff’s workload was a pleasant surprise after serving Mr. Bingley’s sisters for so long.
Miss Bingley’s machinations had been apparent since her very first visit to Pemberley. While Mrs. Reynolds would never say anything to her master, she took extra precautions when that lady was in residence to ensure Mr. Darcy’s safety from any compromising situations.
Even had the staff not long worried about the possibility of Miss Bingley becoming the next Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Reynolds would still approve of Miss Elizabeth.
She had known Mr. Darcy nearly his entire life, and in all that time she had never seen him look at a lady the way he looked at Miss Elizabeth. The old woman had no doubt he was in love, and she was pleased down to her achy bones for him. Her master worked too hard to ensure everyone was well taken care of from Miss Darcy down to the lowliest of tenants. She had often wondered when he would find someone to take care of him.
“Mrs. Reynolds, is everything in place? Have you arranged for Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth to have the Blue Room?”
“Of course, Mr. Darcy.” She would have put the ladies in the Blue Room even had he not requested it, as it was the prettiest of the guest room
s with a beautiful view of the stream and gardens. She never wasted such a room on Mr. Bingley’s sisters, nor had she ever been asked to do so.
“Would you like me to show your guests to their rooms now?”
“Yes, I believe they are ready to retire.”
Mrs. Reynolds returned with Mr. Darcy to the drawing room and he announced to the ladies that their rooms were ready whenever they wished to retire.
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I believe we will go now as it has been a long day for us,” Miss Elizabeth responded with a pretty blush. Her lashes fluttered, but not in that deliberate way Miss Bingley’s always did.
“Then I wish you good night,” he replied with a bow.
Yes, that tone of voice indicated a very strong preference for the lady and Mrs. Reynolds was delighted to hear it.
Mrs. Reynolds showed the ladies to their room and was quite pleased by their exclamations. She had gathered their family was not wealthy, but knew little else beyond they were traveling with their aunt and uncle who were in trade.
“It is a beautiful room, Mrs. Reynolds.”
“One of my favorites, Miss Elizabeth, so I am glad you like it. In the morning, you will have an excellent view of the sunrise over the river. If you are a late sleeper, I would recommend pulling the curtains now. I have assigned Harriet to see to you. Please let her know if there is anything you need. Can I get you anything else?”
“No, I believe everything is perfect. You could not have picked a more perfect room for us. Are you always able to tailor the room to the guest so well?”
“I have been here many years. I began work at Pemberley when the master was but a boy.” She saw interest in Miss Elizabeth’s eyes. Yes, the lady would suit her master well. As Harriet tended to Miss Bennet, Mrs. Reynolds felt she had the time and privacy to speak with Miss Elizabeth a bit more.
“I have difficulty imagining Mr. Darcy as a child. Was he so proper and polished even then?”
“He was a normal enough child, scampering about and getting into what trouble he could, though never mean or cruel as some boys can be. I have never had a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old. But I have always observed that they who are good-natured when children are good-natured when they grow up. He was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted, boy in the world.”
Mrs. Reynolds could see Elizabeth thought her biased. Well she was, but that did not make her words any less true. “Ask any of his tenants and they will tell you what a fine master he is. All the staff as well. When Mr. Coombs took ill, the master went straight to see him and ensure all was taken care of as it should be. Last spring when one of the upstairs maids took a fall and broke her arm, he sent Sara home to recover and continued to pay her full wages. He even suggested I hire her younger sister to take her place until Sara could return. He is a careful master and takes prodigious care of those for whom he is responsible. There is not one of his tenants or servants but what will give him a good name.”
Mrs. Reynolds could see she had given Miss Elizabeth much to consider as the lady appeared deep in thought.
“He sounds an excellent master.”
“That he is, Ma’am. If I was to go through the world, I could not meet with a better. Some people call him proud, but I am sure I never saw anything of it. To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men.”
“Then I congratulate you on an excellent situation, Mrs. Reynolds. Thank you for your attentions to some unexpected guests.”
“Pemberley is ever ready to take in guests, Ma’am, do not worry on that, especially for such good friends of the master.”
Miss Elizabeth blushed again and dropped her gaze. Yes, the lady would do quite nicely. Mrs. Reynolds closed the door behind her and left the sisters to their own company.
~ ~ ~
What a strange day this had been. When Elizabeth awoke this morning she never would have anticipated the events unfolding the way they had and she was not certain which had been the most surprising.
Watching Mr. Darcy eagerly converse with her uncle had been a shock. That he would seek to converse with anyone he did not know was a surprise, but to converse with someone he saw as beneath him was beyond anything she could have expected. Once he had begun talking to her aunt and uncle, she was not surprised that he should continue. The Gardiners were the most respectable of her relations and as fashionable as many of their social superiors in London. Still, she had not expected Mr. Darcy to seek out their acquaintance.
His attentions to herself were hardly less surprising. How he could bear to be in her presence after their last meeting, she knew not. She was embarrassed and afraid of saying something that would bring back memories of that day. He seemed to have no such fear. He had always been a confident man, but today had been different. His confidence had not been mingled with any scorn or the result of separating himself from the rest of the company.
She had never seen him so relaxed in company before. He was at home, but could that bring about such a difference? Elizabeth knew herself to be more relaxed in familiar environs, but as she had never suffered from an inability to talk to others, she had a difficult time understanding it in others.
She had allowed that Georgianna was shy in new company, but warmed up to people as she grew to knew them. Was Mr. Darcy the same? Had she judged him as proud and aloof when he was truly shy? She had trouble considering him as shy, it seemed such an effeminate word. She had known men who were shy, but they had not the commanding presence Mr. Darcy had.
Elizabeth had a tender heart for those who were shy and felt it her duty to put them at ease as much as possible. She understood that God had provided different gifts to all His children, and she had a duty to use her skills with people to help those who suffered in that particular area.
She had not made any allowance for Mr. Darcy, because she had not believed him to have difficulty talking to others. She had believed he had chosen not to cultivate a conversational skill due to his disregard for most people.
Would she ever judge the man correctly? He had told her he had not the same skill he saw in others to speak with strangers, yet she had accused him of not practicing. He may as well have accused her of making rash judgments based on scant information. Much as she tried, she seemed incapable of rectifying that flaw.
Each time she thought she had made progress on her prejudices, Elizabeth found evidence of new biases she had not even recognized before. Again, she felt ashamed. She had accused him harshly, but was not certain he deserved such judgments any longer.
He was certainly making efforts now to reach out conversationally to those he did not know intimately. He had appeared more approachable today than ever before
Could such changes be due to herself? Elizabeth doubted she could cause such a transformation in anyone. More likely he was a very different person in private than he was in public. Now that she was at his home where he was comfortable, he was free to show a side of himself that he did not when he was elsewhere.
Had she even known the man she had rejected in Kent?
Mr. Darcy appeared eager to have her know him now. Mayhap it was not too late.
CHAPTER 34
Elizabeth awoke the next morning to sun streaming through the window. She rose to look outside and saw that the storm had passed. Men were already clearing fallen tree branches from the lawn and pathways.
Pleased to see some of their clothing had been brought from the inn, Elizabeth dressed and headed downstairs, careful not to wake Jane as she left. Now that the weather was clear, she would go for a walk and be back in time for breakfast with the others. She yearned to see the paths on her own and enjoy them in solitude.
The air was still heavy from the storm, but sweet with the scent of flowers. Elizabeth took a different path from the one they had enjoyed the day before. This one took her towards a pond near the woods.
Elizabeth was enjoying the birdsong when she heard the tread of
footsteps on the gravel ahead. She followed the path around a bend and came face to face with Mr. Darcy.
His surprise was evident as well, though he quickly recovered and wished her a good morning.
“Are you enjoying your walk, Miss Elizabeth?”
“I am, Mr. Darcy. The grounds are breathtaking.”
“This is one of my favorite paths. May I join you, or did you come out seeking solitude?”
Elizabeth hesitated only a moment before welcoming him to join her. She found she was eager for company after all.
“I hope you slept well.”
“How could I not, it was a very comfortable room. I particularly enjoyed the view this morning. I was tempted to sit by my window and savor the morning, but found I wished to explore a bit more.”
“Then I recommend we take the path ahead to the right. The trail leads to a small clearing by the pond that has been a favorite of mine for many years. Georgianna and I would have picnics there as children.”
“Lead the way, Mr. Darcy.”
They walked the path in silence, but this was not the uncomfortable silence of their earlier walks at Rosings. Elizabeth realized her comfort was the result of not spending each moment speculating on Mr. Darcy’s thoughts and gave a small laugh.
“What amuses you this morning, Miss Elizabeth?”
“I was thinking of the pleasure a clear mind can bring to an early morning walk. The scenery can be far more enjoyable when one is not distracted by fears of what a companion may be thinking.”
“Do you often fear what your companions are thinking?”
“No, not usually, though I have had some who confused me exceedingly.”
“Perhaps you presented as much of an enigma to your companions.”
“Perhaps,” she replied with a coy smile.
“Perhaps your companions were so confused by you as to be equally distracted from the scenery on your walk.”
Folly and Forgiveness: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 23
