by APRIL FLOYD
Jane smiled sweetly and took Elizabeth’s hand. “How might we have refused an invitation from Miss Darcy and Miss de Bourgh? Mr. Darcy is a gentleman, Lizzy. He will not behave otherwise.”
The sisters alit from the carriage and Jane placed a hand on Elizabeth’s back to keep her moving forward. Too soon, they were standing in the entryway. The butler escorted them to the salon where the Darcy family awaited the announcement of dinner.
Jane caught her sister’s apprehension as she spied Mr. Bingley standing by the fireplace.
He crossed the room with Darcy, a look of pure joy upon his face. “Miss Bennet! I had not known you were to come for dinner this evening! It has been too long since last we met.”
Jane allowed him to take her hand and he bowed over it just restraining himself from placing a kiss upon its gloved surface. “Mr. Bingley, I am delighted to meet you again.”
Elizabeth looked to Jane hoping the evening would not lead to further heartache for her dear sister.
She turned her eyes to Mr. Darcy. He glanced briefly her way and seemed embarrassed and not the least bit aware that she and her sister had been invited to dinner. Mr. Bingley turned to his friend and confirmed Elizabeth’s fear.
“Darcy, why did you not say the Bennet sisters were to dine with us this evening?”
Mr. Darcy’s lips formed a thin line as his sister and Miss de Bourgh joined them with Colonel Fitzwilliam.
“I was not aware we expected dinner guests, but I am pleased to welcome Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bennet to Darcy House.”
Anne de Bourgh greeted the sisters and introduced Jane to Colonel Fitzwilliam.
“Fitzwilliam, we have endured the company of the Bingley sisters for several nights in good humor. ’Tis only fair Georgiana and I are allowed to invite ladies we wish to see.”
Bingley laughed amiably for he knew the tedious company of his sisters very well. “Miss Anne, you must be in charge of the guest list more often as I am simply delighted by your choices.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam gave a happy welcome to Elizabeth going so far as to embrace her in a friendly hug. He admired her sister and gave a daring compliment as Bingley looked on protectively.
“Miss Bennet, how I wish we had made your acquaintance in Kent. It would have been lovely to walk the park with you.”
“Why thank you, Colonel, I have been in London all this time awaiting Lizzy’s return from Kent.”
Mr. Bingley was surprised by this news. “Miss Bennet, you ought to have called at Hurst House. I am certain my sisters would have been happy to have you for tea.”
Jane looked to Elizabeth but withheld the information that she had indeed visited Hurst House when he was out one day and had never returned. “I did not wish to make a nuisance of myself, Mr. Bingley. Perhaps your sisters and I shall meet again before Lizzy and I leave Town.”
The man could not have been happier to hear such for he took Jane’s hand and led her away from the others to a small sofa by a window overlooking Grosvenor. The two fell immediately into conversation and Elizabeth’s heart lifted.
Miss de Bourgh claimed her arm and Miss Darcy went to the piano forte to play for her friends and family before they all went in to dine.
Mr. Darcy and the colonel returned to the fireplace and Elizabeth glanced his way several times as she and Miss de Bourgh exchanged pleasantries. She forced herself to turn her attention to the playing of Miss Darcy and avoid looking his way again.
The music soothed her nerves and she had just become comfortable on the sofa when the colonel approached and took Anne’s hand and led her away to dance. Mr. Darcy remained by the fireplace though his eyes followed his cousins as they danced.
Elizabeth hoped for a brief moment he might ask her to dance when Mr. Bingley and Jane passed on their way to join Anne and the colonel but he remained at his fireside post.
She stood and made her way to the window on the other side of the room in order to distract herself from his brooding presence. It had been a mistake to come to Darcy House for dinner.
Hugging herself tightly, Elizabeth stared out at the darkened street below. At least she now knew that Mr. Darcy had recovered from her hurtful refusal of his proposal. It gave her little comfort as the laughter of the ladies drifted to her when the music stopped and dinner was announced.
Chapter 7
Elizabeth arose early the next day and crept downstairs before the house was fully awake. Her night had been spent in a restless sleep filled with dreams of Mr. Darcy.
The park across the street from the Gardiner townhome called to her and she pulled on her spencer hoping to walk the circuit of the small lake in its midst before returning home to break her fast.
Once out on the nearly empty street, she heard the distinct noise of a horse’s hooves and turned as the sound ceased. There was a man down the street sitting astride a horse but the mists of morning hid him from view. Elizabeth thought she might return to the door and step inside until he left.
Instead, he spoke softly to the horse and the beast turned back down the street. His voice had carried to her where she stood and Elizabeth thought it must be Mr. Darcy. But that could not be! It was the silly dreams that plagued her which planted his voice in her ears.
She crossed the street, angry with herself for her foolishness. Once inside the soothing expanse of the park, she put away thoughts of the man and turned toward the lake.
Elizabeth was happy to find swans gliding upon its surface and tried to follow their movements as they drifted in and out of the mist.
Last evening had become tedious for her as dinner wore on. Mr. Darcy rarely spoke and though she enjoyed the conversation of the other guests, her heart ached to see him returned to the aloof man of their earlier meetings. This discomfort on her part over his behavior was disappointing as she had no intention of ever forgiving him his trespass against Jane.
Jane and Mr. Bingley had seemed to renew their connection and the colonel had been as charming as he was in Kent. Without him, the conversation at the table might have ceased entirely.
Getting to know Miss Darcy had been the highlight of the evening. The young lady was sheltered, a bit spoiled, and entirely unlike her brother. The smile never left her face and Elizabeth thought of all the suitors she would have when her season came at last.
As she made a final turn about the lake, she saw the man and his horse again. He was walking along further across the park in full view and Elizabeth again shook the feeling that it was Mr. Darcy. Why would he arise so early and come to this park when he lived so very near Hyde Park and Rotten Row? It made little sense and she quickened her pace so that she might return to the Gardiner townhome.
She planned to speak with Jane about returning to Hertfordshire soon as there was little reason to remain in London. They had been away for months and she missed the fields of Longbourn.
At last, she left the little park and hurried across the street and up the steps of her aunt and uncle’s townhome with her heart resolved to leave Town. London was not her home and she was eager to return to her familiar paths.
Mr. Darcy decided to leave the park once Elizabeth had gone. Climbing back in his saddle, he turned the horse toward Grosvenor and spurred the beast into a trot. The cobblestones echoed with their passage and he took comfort in the repetitive, ringing sound.
Elizabeth. It had taken every ounce of restraint not to go to her and beg her to marry him again. He hated himself for his weakness where she was concerned but his head could not win the argument with his heart about Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
Dinner the evening before had been torture of a most exquisite kind and he wanted to throttle his sister and Anne for surprising him with the one guest who might shatter his dwindling resolve.
Returning to London had given him the distance he had required to heal the wounds she inflicted. Or so he had thought. The fact that he had been lying to himself was revealed when she walked into his salon the evening before.
He was even m
ore in love with her now, if that were possible. Approaching Grosvenor, he turned the horse towards Rotten Row and pushed the beast until its muscles quivered with effort. The usual abandon he felt on exercising the steed in such a manner did not come and he returned home frustrated and in no mood for company.
Instead of joining his family in the breakfast room, he ran upstairs and called for his bath. He would throw himself into the work of running his family’s business and once again attempt to forget the lady with the fine eyes if it killed him.
When he came downstairs again dressed and ravenous, he sent a maid to bring him breakfast in the library and shut himself inside the darkened room without first giving his sister and cousins greetings of the morning. It mattered little as Richard eventually found him and sat uninvited whilst he finished his meal.
“You seem upset this morning, Darcy. What has happened?”
Richard knew very well what had happened to make his cousin so cross. Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s presence at their dinner table had revealed the pain Mr. Darcy had hidden since their return to London.
“I have business to attend, Richard. Nothing more than that, I fear. I would prefer to return to Pemberley before the crowds leave Town for the summer.”
“Is that why you went out before dawn to ride to Cheapside?”
Darcy looked up from the work on his desk. “How do you know where I went? No one would know that.”
Richard chuckled. “I only guessed but you confirmed it just now. You ought to be well acquainted with my tactics Darcy.”
Leaning back in his chair, Mr. Darcy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I was fine until I saw her appear in my salon. What game is Anne playing to invite her here?”
“Anne, play games? The very idea is silly don’t you think? She knew Miss Elizabeth was to return to London after Easter at Kent. I suppose once Bingley mentioned where her relations lived, Anne thought it might be nice to see Miss Elizabeth again. And it was, I admit. Her sister is lovely.”
Mr. Darcy’s eyes narrowed. “Are you conspiring against me with Anne?”
Richard sat and poured himself tea from the pot on the abandoned breakfast tray.
“If we were conspiring it would be for your benefit. I would think you might consider her presence the perfect opportunity to redeem yourself and make another more romantic proposal. This time do leave off the part where you insult her and her family, would you?”
Darcy pulled the breakfast tray away from his cousin. “I never should have confided my mistake to you. You have told Anne, then?”
“Told me what, Fitzwilliam?”
Anne de Bourgh entered the library in a swirl of lemon-colored silk, her voice full of delight.
Mr. Darcy and the colonel stood as she approached. Richard held out his hand to her. “He is certain we have a plot to reunite him with Miss Elizabeth, my dear cousin.”
Anne kept her composure and stood on her tiptoes to place a light kiss upon Richard’s cheek. When she was done, she swept to Mr. Darcy’s side and favored him likewise.
“Oh, bother! Miss Elizabeth was so kind to me at Rosings and I dearly wanted Georgie to meet her. Was there some secret love affair between you at Rosings, Fitzwilliam?”
Mr. Darcy looked from cousin to cousin and shook his head. “I am outnumbered, I see. I am afraid it shall take more than one dinner to mend the trouble between us and she would still refuse me.”
“Nonsense!” Anne admonished before leaving him to sit beside Richard who had returned to his tea.
“Miss Elizabeth would forgive your loutish proposal if you were to demonstrate a contrite heart and reunite her sister with Mr. Bingley.”
Richard nearly choked at his fairer cousin’s words but managed to place his cup upon the table without incident as Mr. Darcy crossed his arms and pinned him with a deadly stare.
“And how do you know my proposal was loutish? Oh, let me guess, Richard betrayed my confidence.”
“Now, Darcy, I would never have done so in any other circumstance, but you left me little choice. It was plain to all present at dinner, save Mr. Bingley as he was very distracted, that you care for Miss Elizabeth still.”
Anne nodded her agreement. “And we shall see that the two of you have another chance to indulge this romance. I am planning a picnic in two days’ time. Miss Elizabeth and her sister will think we shall all attend but only yourself and Mr. Bingley will go. You will encourage the blooming romance between your friend and her sister and give your attentions to Miss Elizabeth.”
Mr. Darcy snorted his derision of the plan. “Disguise of every sort is my abhorrence. I will not partake in a ruse to win a lady’s affections.”
Richard stood and offered his arm to Anne. “You will attend the picnic, cousin. As you could not win her affections on your own, needs must demand you win her with our assistance. This is a wonderful opportunity and I expect you shall make the most of it. Am I clear?”
Without awaiting a reply, the colonel escorted Anne from the room. Mr. Darcy was left alone to ponder their plans and his cousin’s parting words that stung him through.
Richard was right as was most usually the case, though he would never admit such to his cousin. If he wanted to sleep through the night again, he must attempt to broach the subject of his unfortunate proposal and ask whether she had read his letter. The worst that could happen would only leave him stuck in his current state of misery. But if she forgave him…he dared not think of it for the fear of a second rejection would render him unable to go forward with his cousin’s advice.
Chapter 8
Elizabeth and Jane left their uncle’s carriage and walked along the green expanse of the northwest enclosure of Hyde Park. Deer roamed under the trees and Elizabeth regretted her apprehension for a picnic with Mr. Darcy and his family.
When she had spoken with Jane about leaving London the morning after their walk in the park across from the Gardiner townhome in Cheapside, she had met with resistance.
Jane had begged her to remain in Town as the dinner conversation at Darcy House with Mr. Bingley had given her hope for a future with the man.
Elizabeth could not mount any argument that might dissuade her sister and truly she did not wish to interfere in what might be Jane’s last chance to make a match with Mr. Bingley.
Jane interrupted Elizabeth’s thoughts when she spotted Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley standing on the path that ran by the mineral springs where Londoners flocked to fill their jugs. The water was said to be a curative for many ailments.
“There they are Lizzy, let us go and meet them!”
Jane waved and called out to the gentlemen. Elizabeth forced a smile and moved confidently forward with Jane. The sun was unusually warm and Miss Darcy and Miss de Bourgh would be present so she would not be left with only Mr. Darcy as company.
Mr. Bingley stepped forward and caught Jane’s hand, his face moving quite close to hers. Elizabeth thought had she and Mr. Darcy not been present, the man might have placed a kiss upon her sister’s cheek.
Mr. Darcy spoke to Jane and then turned to Elizabeth. He seemed nervous as he blurted out his welcome.
“I am pleased you have come, Miss Elizabeth. Won’t you take my arm and come along to the spot Mr. Bingley has selected for our repast near the springs?”
Elizabeth placed her hand upon his arm and attempted to control the urge to laugh at him. This was not the Mr. Darcy she recalled from Kent nor even from the dinner at Darcy House several nights ago.
Mr. Bingley and Jane led the way and Elizabeth attempted to keep her eyes on them rather than glance up into Mr. Darcy’s face. He was quite handsome today with his smile and amiable manner.
Realizing where her mind had led her, Elizabeth bit her bottom lip and turned her head away from him to breath air that did not hold his enticing scent. It was part orange and cinnamon with a surprising note of vanilla that made her wish to lay her head upon his considerably broad shoulder. When he spoke again, she nearly startled at the sound so
lost was she in her thoughts.
“Miss Elizabeth, I must tell you now that Georgie and Anne were unable to come today. I hope you will not be terribly disappointed.”
“I am sorry to hear it. I hope they are well. It is such a lovely day and I am not averse to your company.”
The words were out of her mouth before she might think better of them.
“I am pleased to know it. After our time in Kent, I worried whether you might ever wish to speak with me again. I do hope my letter changed your opinion of me.”
Elizabeth had not expected such an admission from Mr. Darcy nor what seemed to be hope that she had forgiven his transgressions where Wickham, and more importantly, her sister was concerned. Choosing her words with care, Elizabeth spoke the truth.
“I do see you differently, Mr. Darcy, but I am afraid I cannot completely forgive the wrong done to my sister. Whether you regret it now or not, my sister spent many months in distress.”
Mr. Darcy remained quiet for a few minutes before making his answer and Elizabeth feared she ought to have left out the truth about Jane’s misery.
“When I think of my sister and how dearly I love her, I understand your feelings, Miss Elizabeth. I might only say that should Charles pursue a match with Miss Bennet again, I will not interfere.”
There was nothing more she could ask of him than that promise and so Elizabeth allowed herself to smile at him with genuine happiness in her heart.
“I could see a friendship forming between us, sir. If this is the reformed Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
To her great surprise, Mr. Darcy returned the sentiment with a small barb of his own at her shortcomings.
“I would like that very much, Miss Elizabeth. If you have decided to allow me the opportunity to gain your good opinion.”
Elizabeth laughed at this for it was so unlike the Mr. Darcy she had first known in Hertfordshire. “Let us join our party and continue this amiable conversation with refreshments at hand.”