At about three o’clock, she heard Darcy and Georgiana calling her name somewhat frantically. She stepped into the hall and could see Georgiana. “I am here! Is Jane arrived?”
“Oh, Lizzy!” Georgiana rushed to her and took her hands. “The outriders have come.” The two friends ran to the front entrance of the house and crossed Darcy’s path as he came up the kitchen stairs.
“I thought you might be with Mrs Reynolds. We could not find you, Miss Elizabeth!” Darcy’s voice was nearly scolding.
“She was in the library, Brother, which is allowed our guests, is it not?” Georgiana explained before Elizabeth could defend herself.
Darcy pulled himself up straight. Of course, she would go there! She does not have to tell us where she goes every minute. What is it about her that always makes me look ridiculous? You love her, he answered himself. “I apologise, Miss Bennet. I must be as excited as everyone else.” He bowed in a curt manner.
Elizabeth met his eyes and looked away with a vague smile. “There is no need to explain yourself, Mr Darcy. I understand you.” She found herself wishing she had spent the time waiting with him. “You would not wish me to miss this arrival.”
They emerged from the house to find Bingley and Mrs Gardiner already in attendance. It was only a few moments before they heard the carriage approach. Once it stopped, a footman opened the door, and the Gardiner children exited the coach in ascending order of age with the two little boys bursting in the direction of their mother, where they were embraced into her skirts. The second eldest daughter, Louise, bounced lightly down the step, joining her brothers in accepting a motherly hug. The last child, Alyse, now eleven years old, was becoming aware of her station as the eldest, and took her cousin Jane as her model in social deportment. Before joining her mother, she smiled at the other adults, hoping to give the appearance of a calm she did not feel.
Elizabeth watched the inside of the carriage as Bingley approached it. She could see Jane gathering toys and gloves and nervously avoiding looking out to those awaiting her. After spreading the yellow flowers of agrimony at the bottom of the carriage step, Bingley reached his hand into the carriage and murmured, “Miss Bennet?”
Jane looked at the hand waiting for hers. She had already been blushing for some miles, but now allowed herself a pleased smile. When she stepped from the carriage and looked into Bingley’s face, Darcy repented again his stupidity. Jane Bennet is radiant, he observed. How could I not have seen her affection for him? Is Bingley going to propose right here? He glanced at Elizabeth, who was smiling knowingly at her sister. She turned to Darcy and raised an eyebrow as if to say, “See?” Darcy caught her gaze, closed his eyes and opened them again, shaking his head. Yes, I was blind, his look spoke to her. Elizabeth chuckled at him and turned to her aunt.
Bingley held Jane’s gloved hand, blissfully unaware that she now stood on terra firma and no longer needed his assistance. “Why have you spread church-steeples at my feet, Mr Bingley?” Jane whispered.
“They are agrimony, the flowers that ask forgiveness, Miss Bennet. I have much for which to be forgiven.” Bingley grew serious, and his eyes did not allow her gaze to wander from his.
“Do you? I am not aware of it, sir.”
“Jane,” Bingley breathed, and raised her hand to his lips.
Mrs Gardiner decided the lovers should have their necessary moment and herded her children to where Darcy stood with Georgiana. When Alyse looked into Mr Darcy’s face as he stooped to be introduced, she became tongue-tied and giddy. She executed an unnecessarily deep curtsy and then wobbled upright. He was the handsomest man she had ever seen. “Why are you not married, sir?” she blurted.
“Oh, Alyse!” her mother cried in mortification. Georgiana giggled behind her hand.
“A truly discerning woman will not take me, Miss Gardiner.” Darcy smiled. “I have tried.”
“She must be abominably silly,” Alyse pronounced scornfully, condemning Darcy’s unknown deliverer of a refusal.
“And infernally correct in her judgment.” He laughed at his own joke and did not see Elizabeth’s look of alarm as she turned away.
Jane and Bingley became aware that the rest of the world existed. Jane saw her sister’s face briefly etched in painful memory. “Lizzy?”
Elizabeth’s countenance returned to a beaming welcome for her sister. They hugged for a long moment and then Elizabeth took Jane’s hand to introduce her to Georgiana.
The attention of the Gardiner children moved en masse to their adored cousin Elizabeth, the boys pulling at her skirts and each girl taking a hand. Thus burdened, Elizabeth was the first to re-enter the house.
Darcy watched, his heart pounding, as Elizabeth disappeared from sight. How at ease she looks, how natural with children. He sighed, unaware that he had been observed by the ladies. Georgiana and Mrs Gardiner smiled to themselves.
Yes, he does love her, Jane Bennet confirmed, and she smiled, too.
Agrimony
“Gratitude, forgiveness”
Chapter 8
A Proposal Observed
Saturday, 1 August, 1812
Elizabeth stood at the window of the second story dining room of Pemberley. She could hear Georgiana practicing her harp in the adjoining music room, but her manner of playing was haphazard for so accomplished a musician as if something was distracting her. The window where Elizabeth stood had been recommended during her first visit to Pemberley as having a lovely prospect, and indeed, she found it so on visiting it again. On this occasion, however, two people in the foreground gave the scene its interest.
Darcy strode up the corridor, following the sound of his sister’s playing. Where is everyone? The footman at breakfast said Mr Bingley, Miss Jane Bennet and Miss Darcy had breakfasted early and gone walking, but clearly, from the sounds coming from the music room, Georgiana had returned. Where is Elizabeth? The footman further stated he had overheard Miss Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet agree to practice duets in the morning, but Darcy heard only a harp. He peeked into the music room to see his sister finish a melody and set the sheet music aside. She half stood and looked out the nearest window. Sitting again, she began another piece. Darcy looked around — no Elizabeth. He withdrew without speaking.
Continuing up the hall, Darcy passed the next door, which opened into the formal dining room. It was decorated in shades of green and cream so the flash of pink he glimpsed arrested him. There, by the window, stood Elizabeth, lost in contemplation of the view.
She was wearing a new pink walking gown, a shade Darcy thought particularly flattering. It had arrived with Jane from Longbourn. Darcy did not know that it was two years old and much worn. Her mother had used fresh ribbon to rebind the neckline and cuffs of the pleated short sleeves, and inserted panels of lace under the raised waistline down over the skirt and attached at the hem. Mrs Bennet, although having an erratic and frivolous nature, and her housekeeper, Mrs Hill, were accomplished seamstresses and enjoyed the challenge of freshening the girls’ gowns. It had distressed Mrs Bennet to think Elizabeth would be staying at Pemberley wearing nothing but gowns Mr Darcy had seen numerous times before.
Darcy stepped silently into the dining room. He gazed at her, marvelling again that she was there in his house, staying as his guest. She toyed with the garnet cross at her neck, and the corner of her bottom lip was caught by her teeth in a considering pose. She is lovely, he sighed to himself. He took a deep breath and went to her.
Elizabeth heard footfalls when Darcy’s booted feet stepped off the carpet and onto the wooden floor. She glanced at him, blushed and smiled, nodding toward the window. “Look,” she whispered, although the people she was watching were in no danger of hearing anything she said. Darcy stood next to her and followed her gaze.
Bingley and Jane were standing nearly toe-to-toe, profiled on the path next to the long watercourse some 50 feet from the house. Jane was looking into Bingley’s face and he was speaking most earnestly. Darcy glanced at Elizabeth. She was luminous
; her eyes alight with hope and love for her sister.
“Could he be proposing?” Elizabeth murmured excitedly.
“How long have they been there?” Darcy asked. He filled his lungs with the scent of lavender as he stood next to her, longing to take her hand at that tender moment.
“I have utterly lost track of the time. I even have to remind myself to breathe,” she said in a lowered voice. She chuckled at herself and looked up at Darcy. Perhaps this will prod you, sir… she mused. But how could it? Even with his improvements in civility, that is asking too much of any man’s pride. Now that I love him, I must accept how I have insulted and hurt him in a way quite likely to persist, even if he professes with flowers some fondness for me still. Her smile faded as she acknowledged the regard she now had could never to be returned in equal measure, and she looked away.
Darcy noticed this change in demeanour and misread her emotions. “I cannot help but apologize again, Miss Elizabeth. It was my selfish action that caused this much-hoped-for event to occur months later than it should have done.”
Elizabeth’s eyes returned to her sister and Bingley. She did not respond to Darcy’s apology. In truth, she wished he would cease apologizing. He was now making amends for his prior actions, which bespoke his regrets well enough, and she wished to dwell on the past only as it gave her comfort. Nothing she had ever said to Fitzwilliam Darcy prior to her present visit to Derbyshire gave her any pleasure in remembrance. Now I am in love with him when he can no longer be in love with me. Oh, what a foolish business love is.
Darcy and Elizabeth stood side-by-side, not speaking, until Bingley took one step back from Jane, held out his hand and fixed upon her a luminous smile full of relief and joy.
How easy it must be to propose when one knows one will be accepted, Darcy thought. He refrained from snorting derisively at himself, perhaps as easy as blindly assuming acceptance where failure would be obvious to a less arrogant man.
Jane took Bingley’s hand. It was clear to Elizabeth and Darcy that she was nodding, grinning and saying, “Yes!” repeatedly.
An “Oh!” escaped Elizabeth, her rapid breathing audible to Darcy.
They watched as Bingley lovingly held Jane’s hand to his chest and embraced her with his other arm. “Oh, my! Jane!” Elizabeth looked down, blushing.
Darcy was dumbfounded at his own response. His eyes stung. Never had he been more desirous of taking Elizabeth into his arms, yet he could not look away from Jane and Bingley.
Elizabeth took a deep breath to steady herself. She felt as though heat were pouring off Darcy and washing over her. She was aware of the tension in the air. As she and Darcy watched, Bingley bent his head and kissed a suddenly solemn Jane. The kiss lasted only a few seconds; then they smiled at each other and were soon laughing and talking again.
Elizabeth drew in another deep breath. She turned to Darcy, tears poised in the corners of her eyes. “Thank you, Mr Darcy. Thank you.”
He smiled crookedly and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. “I believe you are about to need this,” he whispered tightly, handing it to her. She took it, nodding. Darcy expected her to dab at the corners of her eyes but instead she pressed the white handkerchief with the Darcy crest against her chest.
Elizabeth still held his eyes. They looked at each other without reserve for a long moment. She seemed about to say something, hesitated, then bravely continued, “I am proud of you, Fitzwilliam Darcy. I do not care what they say; you are no Charles Bingley to be sure, but nonetheless you are a very good sort of man.”
A single tear crept down her cheek, yet she still teased him. He closed his eyes, lowering his face, ready to meet the lips that so bewitched him. But with a whisper of slippered feet, she was gone.
“They are coming in! I must go to my sister…” Her words trailed behind as she ran from the room.
Darcy straightened, releasing a deep sigh — that could have been another disaster! He followed her from the room and down the hall to the stairs leading to the doors closest to Jane and Bingley, who were now walking hand in hand to the house. Darcy caught up to Elizabeth, and the sound of steps behind them announced Georgiana was following to congratulate them, wearing a jubilant smile.
Darcy flung open the doors, and Elizabeth burst across the path. Jane braced for the impact, but it was to Bingley that Elizabeth rushed, hugging him and kissing his cheek. She was laughing and in tears. “Thank you, Charles!” She had never called him by his first name before. “Thank you for loving my sister!” Elizabeth said the words softly, so only he and Jane could hear.
“What? Were you all watching?” Bingley laughed.
Darcy stood back and suffered, although a half smile emphasized his dimples. Georgiana danced past him to greet the newly betrothed couple. Elizabeth turned her affections to Jane. Darcy stayed withdrawn, watching. If she will never have me, I shall never wed. I cannot imagine loving another like this.
The Bennet sisters laughed and cried together with Bingley remaining in the thick of it. Darcy saw Elizabeth still held his handkerchief. Jane reached for it but Elizabeth stopped her.
“No, dear Jane, Mr Bingley must provide your hankies now. He keeps a pocketful. You shall not steal mine ever again!” Elizabeth chuckled and turned to catch Darcy’s eye with an expression he had never seen her wear before. He thought it could be shyness.
She has forgiven me, to be sure, but can she ever love me? He returned her smile with one of equal warmth, nodded and then looked away.
“Did I not manage that rather well, Brother?” asked Georgiana as she took Darcy’s arm. They turned back to the house. Ahead of them was Bingley with a joyful Bennet sister on either arm.
“You managed it? Impudent little gosling! How is it you deserve such praise?”
They stopped, and Darcy called ahead, “Bingley! Find Grayson and tell him to bring up a bottle or two of champagne. It is not too early in the day, is it?”
“Ha! Thank you, Darcy! I shall.”
Georgiana leaned to her brother. “Yesterday afternoon, I suggested Mrs Gardiner take the children in the phaeton today to look at the upper lake. I told her, quite rightly as you will agree, that early in the day, the wading birds feed there and would be a delightful sight for the children. Then last evening, I invited Mr Bingley and Miss Bennet to walk with me early this morning to visit the stables and see the two new colts. Once we were walking, I remembered my engagement to practice duets with Elizabeth, although in truth, she and I had not fixed a time to meet. Thus were Mr Bingley and Miss Bennet finally left alone.” Georgiana fixed her brother with a self-satisfied smile imparting her sense of accomplishment.
Darcy had to laugh. “My dear sister…I had no idea you had formed an interest in matchmaking.”
“I seem to have a talent for it, although I do say it myself.”
Elizabeth looked outside the receiving room where she stood with Jane to see Darcy laughing at his sister and giving her a genial hug with one arm about her shoulders. Georgiana was laughing, too, and Elizabeth smiled to see brother and sister so happy and at ease.
Darcy took his sister’s hand and dragged her to the house, announcing as they entered, “Bingley, do you know my impudent — dare I say, impertinent — sister is taking the entire credit for this morning’s achievements?”
Georgiana blushed.
“Is she? I do not recall her taking any part in my proposal. I spoke extemporaneously, and quite eloquently I thought — given that I met with success…” Here he took Jane’s hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. Darcy marvelled; Jane Bennet appears utterly besotted. “…and was not prompted by Georgiana in any way.”
“That is the point, Bingley.” Darcy smiled. “She contrived not to be with you.”
Bingley feigned surprise at Georgiana. “Did you? Are you so little to be trusted as a chaperone?”
“I fear it is true.” Georgiana maintained a blushing smile. “When I think two people belong together, it appears I have it in me to
become very helpful.” Georgiana then fixed a meaningful look at her brother and stepped away so she was no longer standing between him and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was now the one blushing. She and Darcy smiled tentatively at each other. There is that delightful shy smile again. Does Georgiana know something I do not?
Servants entered with champagne and glasses, and Georgiana purposefully picked up the bottle and began removing the muselet. Darcy went to assist her and found she needed no aid. “What a day of discovery this is! My sister is revealed as a matchmaker, and now I find she has a more than passing familiarity with the workings of a champagne bottle.”
The bottle exhaled its cork with a throaty pop into Georgiana’s hand. Her incredulous brother asked, “Where did you learn this skill?”
“Whilst staying with our uncle at Matlock House when you were at Netherfield last autumn. Cousin Richard taught me. I can open champagne with his sword, too.” She raised her brows at her brother.
“Some guardian he is. First my aunt is feeding ladies port, and now I learn my cousin is teaching you such skills — my own sister, not yet seventeen — as to make you proficient at uncorking champagne. And am I to suppose you have tasted it?” Darcy laughed.
“Trust me, Brother; I would not have been prevailed upon to master the technique without reaping the rewards.”
Elizabeth, Bingley and Jane formed a festive group around the Darcys until each had a full flute of champagne. Darcy cleared his throat in preparation for a toast.
“First, of course, I should like to raise my glass to the future Mr and Mrs Bingley, but, more importantly, I drink to the man himself, my friend, Charles Bingley, who knows a great deal more about love than I do. Miss Bennet, I believe you will never want for a better husband.” He smiled and lifted his glass, but his voice contained a strain of melancholy quite plainly heard by everyone.
The morning was fair, and the little group wandered out to the lawn and back in again. A second bottle was at the ready, but Darcy did not let it be opened as he did not want to encourage Georgiana. Elizabeth and Jane watched anxiously for the return of their aunt and little cousins. They were overflowing with desire to share the good news.
The Red Chrysanthemum Page 15
