The Very Essence of Love

by Andreea Catana

  “London is the capital of a great empire, but people are the same everywhere,” Elizabeth smiled at her observation and tightened her hold on Jane’s arm, while Mrs. Gardiner directed her attention towards her daughters. Eve and Annabelle, who had been in charge of taking care of the dog, found a new diversion in chasing Jasper, who had become intrigued by a rogue squirrel on the opposite side of the park’s lawn.

  The girls brought him back, both red in the cheeks and out of breath, which prompted Mrs. Gardiner to temper their enthusiasm a little.

  “Mama, can we go for a ride on the Carousel, please?” Eve said as soon as she saw the cake-like round ceiling of the merry-go-round in front of her.

  “Please,” added Annabelle with even more vigour than her sister. Even Jasper seemed to agree that the twins deserved such fun and gave a loud bark, and Mrs. Gardiner could not withstand such insistence.

  “Very well, but only if you promise that it is just once.” The girls promised solemnly and ran hand-in-hand to the end of the square where wonderful music could be heard, to be sure that they would get what they were promised.

  Mrs. Gardiner took hold of Jasper’s leash as he strove to follow the girls’ fast pace. Jasper’s attention was once again grabbed by a bird in the middle of the lane, which proved to be too much temptation to a dog of his junior years. Before Mrs. Gardiner could react, he pulled on his leash, escaping his owner’s grasp and running as fast as he could in the direction of his interest.

  Jane barely had time to register what was happening. Mrs. Gardiner, perplexed by the sudden change of events, could barely utter a word. It was Elizabeth who was the first one to see the carriage coming down the lane from the opposite direction right into Jasper’s path. She knew instantly that a collision was inevitable. The panic on the driver’s face told her it was almost imminent. Jasper, startled by the approach of the carriage and the furious neigh of the horses, halted. The horses reared up on their hind legs, casting all passersby aside, while the driver cursed loudly, much to the shock of the ladies present.

  “Jasper!” Mrs. Gardiner cried in panic, foreseeing the inevitable. Elizabeth was intent on preventing the disaster and ran towards the dog, now paralyzed with fear. She stopped in front of the carriage and grabbed the dog just as the horses were pulling the reins with much more force than before, threatening to crush all that stood in front of them. From inside the carriage, frightened voices of ladies could be heard as well, and a manly voice commanding the driver to calm the horses.

  Elizabeth saw the horses rearing before her one more time, furiously pulled back by the driver. Then, as they slowly descended, Elizabeth pulled Jasper even more tightly into her arms, protecting him from harm. The last thing she felt before falling to the ground was the kick she received, shaking her violently.

  When she woke up, Elizabeth felt a sharp pain in her right leg, but she was more embarrassed to be surrounded by the curious group of passersby; Jane and Mrs. Gardiner, both teary-eyed and filled with concern, were above her.

  “Lizzy, wake up,” Jane said as lovingly as she could, though she feared the worst. Elizabeth looked at her, trying to calm her sister’s nervousness and at the same time, control the pain she was feeling. “Tell me at once if you are hurt.”

  “I am well, Jane,” Elizabeth said, hoping her voice had not sounded as shaky as she was feeling herself. “Just help me to stand up!”

  “Allow me, Madam!” a man’s voice said at once, offering his arm to Elizabeth. Elizabeth looked into the face of the gentleman, who smiled encouragingly at her to accept his support. Elizabeth firmly grasped the offered arm and gingerly pulled herself up, ignoring the pain in her leg, while rearranging her gown and bonnet.

  “Oh, my dear, your father would never have forgiven me if something had happened to you,” Mrs. Gardiner spoke with worry. Elizabeth looked around, hoping the curious party that had been standing around her would soon go their own way. Although mortified by the attention she was receiving, she saw the Gardiner twins crying in shame - while little Jasper was at their feet equally touched by the gravity of the moment - and felt obliged to give the girls an encouraging look. Mrs. Gardiner grasped her hand gently in gratitude, but Elizabeth’s attention was fixed on the gentleman, who was accompanied by two other women, one shy looking young lady and another, slightly older, who seemed to be her companion. Elizabeth found she was at a loss for words, for she was not sure what she was supposed to tell them.

  The gentleman was, however, the first one to speak. “I feel I must apologise for what has happened. It was all too sudden and the driver could not prevent it. I am glad however that no harm has come to you.”

  “There is no need to apologise, sir. I am afraid this has been a rather unfortunate accident and I have to take my part of the blame for what has happened,” Elizabeth answered, “I am sure that your party was as frightened as I was.”

  The young lady smiled in acknowledgment of Elizabeth’s kind words but said nothing. The gentleman turned to them, then to Elizabeth again and said, “At least allow me to introduce myself. I am Colonel Fitzwilliam. This is my cousin, Miss Georgiana Darcy, and her companion, Mrs. Annesley.”

  Chapter 2

  Elizabeth stood dumbfounded, unable to utter a word, feeling the pain in her leg more sharply than ever. “Can it be possible that of all the people I could meet I come across Mr. Darcy’s sister? Miss Georgiana Darcy? Surely, the name cannot be a coincidence. I don’t expect there to be that many young ladies with that name in the country.” Elizabeth wished she could turn to Jane to gauge her reaction to such an extraordinary event, but she could not do so without drawing attention to herself. Instead, she chose to concentrate on relieving her pain, by focusing the weight on her other leg.

  The first one to speak was Mrs. Gardiner, who made brief introductions to the party and asked the Colonel what Elizabeth herself wished to know.

  “I hope you will excuse my curiosity, but is it possible that you are related to the Darcy family of Pemberley?”

  The Colonel’s face brightened at once, while Elizabeth could see that even Miss Darcy was surprised by her aunt’s words. The moment gave Elizabeth a chance to study the young lady before her and she could find nothing that displeased her. Miss Darcy was a young lady whose face revealed shyness, although her eyes also betrayed a vivacity she had seen on a few occasions in her brother.

  “Why do I have to think at this precise moment of Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth lowered her head, hoping they would not notice her uneasiness.

  “Yes, of course.” The Colonel replied in a joyful voice. “The late Mr. Darcy of Pemberley was my uncle and his daughter, here, is my cousin. Are you familiar with the Darcy family, madam?”

  “I wouldn’t presume as much, but I was brought up near Pemberley, so I am familiar with the place, and I must say there are few places that bring back more pleasant memories,” Mrs. Gardiner said in a voice that exposed her nostalgia.

  With the tension dissipated, Colonel Fitzwilliam retorted joyfully, “I must agree with you, Mrs. Gardiner. I am quite fond of the place myself.” Elizabeth was still at a loss for words, caught between her curiosity to know more and the shock of having in front of her the very person who held part of the blame for her sister’s unhappiness. However, she could not have been prepared for what followed, as Mrs. Gardiner spoke further. “I think my nieces, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, have met the present Mr. Darcy.”

  “You know my brother?” Miss Georgiana spoke for the first time and her voice seemed full of emotion. With these words, Elizabeth felt the pain in her leg rising once again and her face reddened with the hotness of it. Or it may have been her aunt’s words as well. She was not sure any longer. Whatever the cause, she prayed it would not show on her face as she answered.

  “Yes, I had the pleasure of meeting him at Netherfield Park,” Elizabeth replied, suddenly not sure whether she had intended the compliment to be ironic or sincere, but the subtleties of her voice were lost in the amazement
of the people present.

  The Colonel laughed. “If it were not for the unfortunate events of earlier, I would call it luck to have met you.”

  “Jasper did it all himself,” Eve spoke innocently, seeing that the tide of good fortune had turned in their favour once again. But upon sensing the scolding look on their mother’s face, she added, “He is, however, sorry to have created such a complication for Lizzy, are not you, Jasper?” The little dog looked as guilty as any dog would under the circumstances, with a quick wag of his tail.

  “He promises he will not do it again,” Annabella added in a hurry.

  “I am glad he has come to see reason,” the Colonel jested, entering the children’s game. “The important thing is that no one is harmed and a lesson has been learned.” The girls nodded in agreement, sensing that everything that could be said on the subject had been said and that there was a slight possibility that their pending punishment would be less severe.

  Elizabeth moved her leg, but she felt a heat passing through it. Colonel Fitzwilliam sensing her uneasiness, or maybe something more, said, “Are you sure you are well, Miss Elizabeth?”

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “I think I should rest.

  “I do believe we had better return home,” Jane proposed, “I think it is likely to rain soon and my sister should rest.”

  “Cousin,” Miss Darcy spoke for the second time, “with your permission, I would like to invite the ladies to our home to rest. We can fetch someone to help Miss Elizabeth if she wishes it. Our house is not far away from here anyway.”

  Elizabeth wished to signal to her aunt and sister that she did not wish to accept the invitation, but the Colonel thought it an excellent idea and insisted upon it with much vigour. Mrs. Gardiner accepted it more for convenience than she thought it to be a good idea. It was quickly decided then to split the party into two. She had to return home with the twins and the small puppy while Jane and Elizabeth would be guests of Miss Darcy and her companions. They parted once it was agreed that a carriage would be sent for Elizabeth and Jane around seven, once Mr. Gardiner had returned home.

  “Poor, Jane,” Elizabeth pondered inside the carriage, as she sat opposite Miss Darcy. “She has come face to face with the person who could take Mr. Bingley away from her forever. And what does it mean for me? Will I see Mr. Darcy again? How can I find out if the gentleman himself is at home?” She couldn’t finish her thoughts. “Oh, the idea of it…” To meet him under these circumstances would be unbearable. Elizabeth tried to think of something she could do to prevent such a scenario, but before an idea came to her mind, they were already arriving at the Darcys’ house.

  When she got out of the carriage, she found that the pain in her leg had lessened and she was content on insisting that no doctor be called to see her. Elizabeth feared now something worse, a feeling that was more intimidating than any physical pain. She feared an encounter with Mr. Darcy.

  “What would he say if he saw me here?”

  Mrs. Annesley quickly took charge of what needed to be done in the house to make the guests feel at ease and Elizabeth and Jane were accommodated comfortably in the drawing-room. Miss Darcy joined them, but as she was too shy to speak, sat in silence looking at the two ladies, while the Colonel asked for tea and refreshments for them all. Elizabeth felt unsure what she expected on entering the house, but she was pleased to find a room decorated so exquisitely. Above the mantelpiece, Elizabeth was drawn to a portrait of a fine lady, and she could only guess her to be Miss Darcy’s late mother. She knew all too well those eyes, for they were Mr. Darcy’s eyes as well. She closed her own at the remembrance, with some sadness.

  “Miss Elizabeth, should I send for something for you?” Miss Darcy’s voice brought Elizabeth to reality at once.

  “No, thank you, I was just admiring how beautiful your home is.”

  “My brother thinks that I should rearrange the drawing-room to my taste, but I think it is lovely just as it is, for it was decorated by my mother,” Miss Darcy spoke in a voice that told of her ease in being in the comfort of her own home.

  “I feel it is always best to find comfort in the familiar things,” Jane said, appreciating Miss Darcy’s enthusiasm. “I, for one, am not fond of change.”

  “Neither am I. But my brother says it is inevitable. The changes, I mean,” Miss Darcy’s voice softened as though she had spoken too boldly. Elizabeth wished above all things to enquire about Mr. Darcy – if he would make an appearance or not - but could not force herself to do it. The conversation followed various subjects, in which Miss Darcy enquired about their life at Longbourn, and about the Bennet family. She expressed her wonder at having so many sisters and expressed her wish - even though shyly - to have had more siblings.

  The hour passed pleasantly, and Elizabeth began to feel confident that she would not see Mr. Darcy after all and felt much more comfortable conversing with the party. She found the Colonel especially pleasant, for he had an ease about him that she liked very much. He was friendly, but not overbearing or too confident in his assertions. There was also a humorous quality to him that added to his charm. While Miss Darcy was talking privately with Jane about her love of music, Elizabeth had a chance to speak with the Colonel alone.

  “Miss Elizabeth, you said you know my cousin Darcy?”

  “Yes, but not very well. We met him when he was a guest of Mr. Bingley at Netherfield Park,” Elizabeth answered briefly, grateful that Jane was at a distance from them. Elizabeth could almost swear she saw a smile promising to spread on the Colonel’s face, which disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and could not help wondering what had caused this reaction.

  “I understand now. I was not sure you were the Miss Elizabeth Bennet he told me about.”

  Elizabeth’s astonishment could not have been greater at hearing these words and she felt a rising sense of panic. Mr. Darcy had mentioned her to his cousin? What was the occasion or the nature of his report?

  “Mr. Darcy spoke of me?”

  “Yes, he did,” the Colonel replied, but he added nothing else.

  Elizabeth thought of the times she had teased Mr. Darcy, much to the puzzlement of Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. She never knew what he thought of her. Did her find her as impertinent as Miss Bingley and her sister did? What had the Colonel heard about her? Elizabeth was intrigued now, but before she could think of a way to ask for clarification, she heard the gentleman speak again.

  “It is a pity that Darcy is not in town. I think he would have been pleased to see you again.” Although she had expected to hear news of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth was surprised when it happened, for her immediate feeling was to be almost sorry for not meeting the gentleman after all.

  “I cannot afford to think of him, I swore to loathe him forever,” she mused, hiding her embarrassment.

  “You will have to tell me how Darcy behaved in Hertfordshire. I am dying to know,” the Colonel insisted in a mischievous tone.

  “I am sure you know your cousin all too well to expect an answer from me,” she replied, content she had found an elegant response to his question.

  The Colonel appreciated her honesty, but his countenance became serious once more as he went on, “My cousin is an excellent fellow, I admit, but he has his flaws as well. Be sure though that his intentions are always honourable. And he is an excellent friend, I can vouch for that. Anyone who can claim his friendship is lucky indeed.”

  “Honourable he may be, but not fair,” Elizabeth thought, but resisted voicing her thought aloud and instead sat without speaking for a few moments, pondering the Colonel’s words. It was a most positive depiction of his character but Elizabeth could not be sure how much of it was due to their kinship. She had no time to answer the Colonel’s observation though, for a servant entered to announce that a carriage from Gracechurch Street had arrived and the visit was thus concluded.

  When Jane and Elizabeth returned home, Mrs. Gardiner insisted that Elizabeth be seen by a physician and sent for Dr. Elmo
y to call upon them.

  When it was clearly stated that the young lady was not in any sort of danger, other than a large bruise and swelling to her leg, the whole party was summoned to dinner. The events of the day were revisited further with Sir William, who had returned for the evening, bringing this own news that the business that brought him to town had luckily been concluded satisfactorily, allowing them to continue their journey to Hunsford on the morrow.

  Refusing to part from Jane, Elizabeth was placed in her sister’s chamber for the night and as soon as they could they spoke about what they had been bursting to discuss for several hours.

  “Miss Darcy is not at all as I expected,” Jane said first in a calm, resigned voice.

  “Indeed, she is very different from how she was described by Caroline Bingley. I must confess I have always imagined her to be …”

  “Proud? She did not appear so. I saw a young lady of handsome countenance and elegant manners. I understand the reasons Mr. Bingley might have to favour her over me.”

  “You cannot say that! You know that people can mimic humility when it suits them. Though of course, her brother did not mind appearing defiantly proud at the Meryton Assembly.”

  “But why would Miss Darcy pretend in front of us when there was no need to?”

  “You are always ready to see only the good in people.”

  “You know she spoke to me about Mr. Bingley.”

  “She did? What did she say?”

  “Not too much. Just that she admired him greatly on account of being Mr. Darcy’s friend. He called on her last week,” Jane said with pain, and Elizabeth took her sister’s face in her hands.