by Anne Louise
Darcy could see that Elizabeth was the most intelligent young woman he had ever met, but this night she was much more to him, but presently he noticed that the conversation had stopped.
“Is anything wrong, Miss Bennet?”
“No, Mr. Darcy, everything is too right. What I mean is that for a country gentleman farmer’s daughter, I am not accustomed to such splendor and I have never really had a male friend. If I were a lady of the ton I might know how to act around you, but I have just been thinking of how much I will miss you when I return home.”
“We will meet in town. I want you to meet my sister, Georgiana. We still have more days together here at Pemberley, so you may not wish me as a friend in a few days.”
He next helped her out of her seat and walked with her to the base of the stairs. Suddenly he felt his heart pounding as he realized that this private time with Elizabeth was the happiest time in all his adult life. Unwittingly, he found himself captivated by this young woman, and her smiles had him wishing he could take her into his arms. He had never had these feelings before, and had to remind himself to be a gentleman and just enjoy her company
Elizabeth next went to see the Gardiners.
“Lizzy, how was your dinner?”
“It was wonderful, Aunt. I have come to ask you the same question and to ask how you feel?”
“Mr. Darcy arranged for the servants to bring in a small table and they did everything. Both of us thought the dinner was excellent. Regarding how I feel, I do still hurt but I am getting some good rest.”
“Tis true what your aunt said about the meal, Lizzy. Please thank the gentleman for his thoughtfulness and for his looking out for us after the accident with the carriage?”
“But Lizzy, did you ever think you would dine alone with such a man? Was he not handsomely dressed?”
“Aunt, he was immaculately dressed in the finest clothes and is certainly the handsomest man of my acquaintance. His black hair was brushed back and not a hair was out of place, and from his polished rich leather boots to his white cravet about his neck, no other man could be as handsome. The dinner was quite delicious. Mr. Darcy is an interesting man and makes me feel comfortable.”
“So, I take it that you like him?”
“There is nothing not to like, but I am too young for him and I am not from his sphere, though we think alike about a number of things.”
“He is twenty-six and I have just turned eighteen.”
“That is not too many years difference. Most men choose a younger woman for a wife.”
“Now Madilyn, we have not known the man a full day and already you are talking marriage. Let things take their natural course. We have seen the man’s good nature but we shall have no more talk about marriage.”
Madilyn Gardiner had the last word. “So, Lizzy, is it your intention to return downstairs soon?”
“Yes, I want to spend some more time talking with Mr. Darcy. I did tell him I would check on you and uncle and return to visit with him. I wish you both a good night.”
“Goodnight Lizzy.”
As Elizabeth left to go downstairs, the Gardiners looked at one another. “I tell you, Madilyn, I believe they both are innocents and Mr. Darcy has likely never met a young woman like our niece.”
“We shall hear more on this on the morrow, but let us try and sleep. It has been a taxing day for all of us.”
As the Gardiners went to sleep, Elizabeth knocked on the door to the study and Darcy walked over to meet her.
“Miss Bennet, how are the Gardiners?”
“They are resting and wanted me to thank you for them. They thought the dinner was delicious. Mr. Darcy, they said they would never forget what you had done for them, and neither will I.”
“That pleases me and I will tell the cook. I am even more pleased that you have returned. It is good to have some company.”
That was not a difficult thing for Darcy to say. Georgiana was in town and no other relatives or close friends were nearby. Darcy’s closest relative and friend was his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who along with Darcy were joint guardians for Georgiana. Both in town and in Derbyshire, Darcy knew many people, but he knew he had few real friends. He counted Charles Bingley, a man he befriended at Cambridge, as a good friend. After Bingley’s father died, his only son inherited his late farther’s estate and soon Bingley had purchased a home not far from Darcy House.
Elizabeth watched as Darcy moved over to the side bar and poured a glass of brandy.
“Is it not too early to have a brandy, sir?”
“No, Miss Bennet, but let me pour you a glass of my best port? I believe you will like it.”
“Very well, I will accept this one glass, but I will take a long time finishing it.”
“There is no need to worry, and I will not let you drink very much. The drink will later help you to sleep.”
Darcy poured her a glass of port and walked over to Elizabeth and handed her the wine. Her dark eyes sparkled in the light of the fire and her smile brought him a comfort he had never known when she looked into his eyes. He chose one of the large wing chairs and Elizabeth took a seat on the sofa nearest to his chair. They each had a good look at the other’s profile, but they both turned and looked at each other until Darcy next turned his chair fully to face her.
“Mr. Darcy, the wine is good, thank you. I do not believe that I will have much trouble sleeping tonight. Now, if I were to choose a book to read, I would later regret doing so because I enjoy the story I am presently living.”
“All of life is a play, Miss Bennet. Each of us are actors playing a part, but eventually the rain will stop and life will find us parting. I shall very much miss your company when you leave this place.”
“That is very kind of you, sir. I shall miss you as well and I find you to be a most interesting study. I will always be indebted to you for the kindness you have shown to the Gardiners and myself.”
“We likely have more days together, Miss Bennet. By the time you leave you will have had your fill of me.”
“No, I do not think that is so. Once it stops raining I intend to have you walk around Pemberley and show me the gardens and tell me of playing here as a boy and tell me about your likes and dislikes.”
Darcy looked at her and could not make her out. Was she out to get him? Was she a fortune hunter? He did not think so. She had even warned him that her mother was out to get all her daughters married off.
“Miss Bennet, I would be pleased to accompany you on such walks once the rain stops and the footing is improved. There are many places that I wish you to see.”
“Well, then, for the present, I am enjoying your study and this wine. You just have so many books to choose from. Is it possible that I can peruse the books on the morrow?”
“You may come here any time you wish, Miss Bennet, and so can the Gardiners. I just prefer to join you when you come in here to visit.”
“And I must say that I prefer your company to my own. Also, I did not want to eat alone and the Gardiners wanted to be alone.”
“That is natural, Miss Bennet. You have been in close contact with them for some time and a break away from them is a good thing.”
“That is the main reason I preferred to stay close to the house rather than tour the estate by carriage.”
“I am also pleased we could dine together as I too would have eaten alone.”
“That rarely happens to me at my home, Mr. Darcy. I like to take long walks to relax and clear my mind of many things.”
“It must not be that strange for one to feel that way, Miss Bennet. Often I feel the same but settle for a brisk ride on my horse. Yes, when I am alone my mind is often engaged in other thoughts and I cannot relax so easily.”
But he is alone so much. He does not have a woman friend in a romantic way. I would be his friend if he did not live so far away. What can I do but be kind to him and grateful for his generosity and his friendship?
“Perhaps, sir, you do have other things on yo
ur mind, be they your sister or some estate matter or something else. One cannot live your life without having many matters to attend to and significant decisions to ponder. At least you have some of the greatest books and you can go to them for comfort. You know, I think I shall never forget our meeting in this room.”
Elizabeth turned to look at Darcy and softly giggled, her eyes speaking of mischief and inducing Darcy to smile. He was clearly happy and she saw a look of pleasure that pleased her greatly.
“Then you are not sorry to be here, I hope?”
“No, Derbyshire is so beautiful and Pemberley is grand and I hope we can take some long walks before I have to return home. But you were right, all along. Had we stayed in Lambton we would have been miserable if indeed the creeks flooded their banks.”
“Miss Bennet, with this relentless heavy rain, Lambton is either in the process of flooding or is very close. As soon as conditions improve, I will probe the main road and other routes to assess the flooding, but I feel your party will be wise to avoid Lambton on your return.”
“Mr. Darcy, if the rain continues another day like today, I believe the roads will be a problem for many days more. Flooding may already have uprooted trees and destroyed old bridges or just washed away the road in spots.”
“That, my friend, is why you must not leave too early. The later you leave Pemberley will result in a vast improvement in the roads. So I must ask you how will you pass the time whilst you are here?”
“Sir, I have not told you before, but I am a selfish creature. Now that I have you cornered, I should like to learn more about how you manage such a big estate. My father has a small manor and six small farms of less than twenty-five acres each. He does not have his own steward and my father does all his own books. I hope to learn how you go about managing your many tenants and pass this on to my father.”
“That astonishes me, Miss Bennet, but I am afraid that I will bore you with such talk and the last thing I would wish, is for you to want to leave.” What is it about this young woman that she wishes to know about estate matters? She wants to learn some things to help her father? And I love to hear her talk, and she is a happy soul. Oh, what is wrong with me?
“Then I will first tell you about my home at Longbourn and about my family. I can imagine that you will find that very boring.” For the next hour she spoke of these things and Darcy took a keen interest in all she told him and chuckled at times and asked questions.
“You are smiling, sir. Have I disappointed you with my description of things?”
“No, Miss Bennet, you have much happiness in your life and have a close family. The entail of Longbourn is a problem, but you did say your father is in good health. Perhaps he has put some money away for your future after he is gone. Do you know who will inherit your home once that sad time comes?”
“My father told me that only one male heir remains and he is a distant cousin who none of us has ever met.”
“Miss Bennet, should that proposed heir die before your father, the law requires the estate to be sold and all proceeds to be divided amongst you and your sisters. Your mother would receive nothing.”
“I never knew of this. Are you certain my mother would receive no money? That seems very unfair. Also, such a law might put the potential heir in harms way.”
“Of course, Miss Bennet, you are correct. I can quite imagine that a family about to lose their home because of the entail might wish the new owner ill, or worse. At least they would find it hard to be sad to learn that the one person who could take away their home is gone forever.”
As they continued to talk, both persons began to understand each other better. Darcy asked if he might discuss her estate management question during the day, when he was not tired, and she smiled and agreed.
Elizabeth thought that Darcy was not normally a social person and was likely shy around strangers, but he was not that way with her and the Gardiners. She could understand how others might mistake his shyness for aloofness, but he did not act that way around her. Still, remembering what Mrs. Reynolds had said earlier, Elizabeth had a feeling that he had never spent as much time around other women and she was happy to be there for him. She knew of her own limited experience with gentlemen, but sensed that Darcy had a good heart and he had treated her kindly and was a man to her trusted and admired. Whatever way he was seen by others, she had seen a good man. Elizabeth knew she had fibbed when she told him that she would have an easy time falling to sleep that evening.
“Thank you again, Mr. Darcy. I believe I shall leave for bed.”
“Will your relatives join us for breakfast ?”
“That is something that I cannot answer at present, but I believe they will.”
Darcy next walked her to her room and wished her a good night sleep. Back in her room, Elizabeth played the day over in her mind as she readied for bed. She still could hear the rain outside her room and thought again of the handsome man in his great coat as he rode off to find the others and remembered him turning around to look at her before leaving. If someone had told her that she would meet such a man and that she would spend so much time in his company, she would have thought that impossible.
From first meeting him in his study she had thought him attractive. Elizabeth tried to make sense of why the housekeeper changed her mind and suddenly invited her to visit the study, when it was not on the tour earlier. She also thought of the woman’s friendliness and general interest in her and the Gardiners. Mrs. Reynolds had been insistent and brought her to the study and left the doors open and suggested she peruse the room and later rest or perhaps read. Had the woman intended for her to meet Mr. Darcy? She did say that she would return in less than an hour.
To suddenly find she was not alone in the room made for a great astonishment and to watch as the handsome man stood to great her sent her heart throbbing. Yes, he was handsome, and his deep baritone voice brought chills to her, but she had seen the gardener where he should not have been, and wanting to protect him from losing his job, she as much as ordered the man, along with herself, out of the room before the Master of Pemberley came upon them.
Elizabeth simply could not stop thinking of her embarrassment knowing the man had heard her innocently speaking to some of the books and happily humming a tune as she perused the shelves and looked over the many books. And then Mrs. Reynolds returned and introduced her to Mr. Darcy, who immediately saw her distress and took kindly to her and made her feel comfortable. Elizabeth also noted the big smile that Mrs. Reynolds had when she introduced them and noticed the older woman softly chuckled as she turned and left the room.
It was too early to say the man was her soulmate, but she knew from that first meeting that she was changed. Elizabeth had never been attracted to a man before, and now he seemed interested in her and she knew she was interested in him. She also knew she did not have a future with him, or did she? Though she thought much of what she had told him was boring, he wanted to hear more. It was as if her stories made him happy, whereas his stories implied his life was not that happy.
She saw that Darcy was a determined man and made decisions on many things, but he lived a life away from most society and she thought him lonely. Who wouldn't be lonely living in a mansion surrounded by only servants? Now she wondered if Mrs. Reynolds had brought her to the study knowing that Mr. Darcy was there.
No, she thought, because Mrs. Reynolds had been in her presence the entire time she had been in the great house and Darcy had been outside. Finally, she sat at her mirror and removed the pins from her hair and brushed it before settling into her bed. She knew she had to will herself to sleep or she would be up all night, so she resolved to focus on the good of the day. Her aunt and uncle were in the room across from her own. Now she privately celebrated that she felt her heart move for the first time because of a man and softly giggled as she thought of the man, even as the rain outside her windows returned with renewed intensity.
She awoke but the sun did not appear and the clouds for
etold of another day of rain, though it was a steady rain for the most part. After leaving her room, she could hear the Gardiners in their room so she knocked softly as her uncle walked to the door.
“Lizzy, you must be our source for sunshine, for we are getting no help from outside. Here, come inside and visit.”
“Yes, come in, Lizzy, we are in a good place,” replied her Aunt Madilyn. “You look well rested. Do you intend on having breakfast with Mr. Darcy?”
“Yes, he wishes all of us to join him.”
“Good,” replied her uncle. “We will be ready shortly.”
“Then I will come for you in a few minutes or you can knock on the door when you wish to return downstairs.”
After finishing their ablutions and dressing, the three began their walk downstairs and saw Darcy at the bottom, waiting to greet them. Elizabeth and her uncle each held onto Mrs. Gardiner to assist her to walk down the stairs as she took each step gingerly. Darcy next assisted her and the others to their seats in the family dining room.
“I trust you all slept well last evening?” asked Darcy. “Cook has made pastries and ham and eggs and we have coffee and tea and some fruit.”
“That sounds splendid,” replied Mr. Gardiner. “Mr. Darcy, my wife and I wish to thank you again for the delicious dinner last evening. We did sleep well considering Marilyn’s injury.”
“You are all certainly welcome. Mrs. Gardiner, I do trust and hope the pain is not too much. I have bruised my ribs before and may have broken one, but I remember that I needed much rest and it was awkward sleeping.”
“I told our niece that it is best that it happened to me rather than her. Lizzy is a creature of habit and enjoys long solitary walks. If she was unable to do her walks she would be difficult to be around.”
Darcy saw that her Uncle Gardiner did not like his wife’s words.
“So Miss Bennet, is it true that you are adversely affected by too many days of poor weather?”
