Elizabeth wished she did not have these thoughts but they carried over from the night before as she tried to sleep but got very little rest. Every time she was about to sleep she thought of Mr. Darcy and something he said and the way he said it. She enjoyed talking with him but now she wondered why he spent so much time with her. Never had she spent that much time with a man and most men were scared off by her knowledge and she was already aware that men did not enjoy hearing a woman’s opinion but he sought out her opinion.
As she neared her father’s study she gave the door a knock and entered.
“Papa, I am about to leave.”
Her father looked over his glasses and gave his favourite daughter a smile.
“Now Lizzy, you do not have to make up for all the walking you missed while staying with the Gardiners. Try not to overdo things and perhaps a walk to Oakham Mount is too far today. In any event you must stop and rest a spell.”
“I will do as you say, Papa and we can talk later.”
As soon as she left her father’s library she retrieved her bonnet and slipped on her sweater and walked off in the direction she normally took. Not long afterward she saw a man standing with his horse in the distance. The closer she got the more she could see that it was Mr. Darcy and she saw him wave at her. Suddenly she was warmed by a nervous blush as she was excited to secretly be meeting with such a handsome and rich man who had suddenly made her happy.
She had been walking directly toward the sun and now he was in front of her and was smiling and it made her blush a second time. She curtseyed as he bowed.
“You are prompt, sir, and good morning.”
“And you look well this morning, Miss Bennet. I hope you had a good sleep?”
“I tried to sleep but mostly I was tossing and turning.”
“Hopefully you are not bothered by my horse following us?”
“Ever since I was thrown by a horse eight years ago I do not ride. Even so, he looks to be a gentle beast. What is his name?”
Darcy looked at her and smiled. “I call him Fog.”
Elizabeth noticed his eyes twinkled as he let out a soft chuckle. “That is a strange name for a horse. He is a beautiful black and grey stallion. I should think he would be mad at you.”
“On the contrary, Miss Bennet, he appears to like you. He likely has never seen such a handsome young woman.”
“Ha! You are acting silly, Mr. Darcy, but pray tell me more about why the horse is named Fog?”
“There is a reason for that name. The man who broke him called him Frog for the way the animal jumped on his hind legs like a frog. Can you not imagine trying to ride him and having him jump on his hind legs and stand up like he was trying to reach the sun? Your back would be parallel to the ground. He has never done that to me and I have owned him for five years. So you can see I could not give up the name completely and so I shortened it to Fog. Ever since I have owned him he seems to agree with the name. You must admit he could easily blend in with the fog.”
“You are correct, and he appears to be tame enough.”
“He is tame but perhaps he is too large a horse for you. My sister rides a Chestnut Filly so perhaps you would prefer a horse like that to ride?”
“Mr. Darcy, the only reason I would get on a horse is in an emergency and I needed to get somewhere as soon as possible.”
“The day is starting off to be a beautiful, Miss Bennet. The trees are just beginning to turn into a multitude of colors and soon we will have an explosion of color. I look forward to that.”
“Mr. Darcy, I must confess that I thought much about my visit yesterday morning and how you must think I am just another fortune hunter. That must be the reason I had such a hard time getting to sleep. You see, I rarely speak very long with any gentleman, let alone the man the papers call the most sought after bachelor in all of England. It is all very intimidating for a country girl.”
“Do you often read The Times?”
“I read the paper every day but not the society section. My sister Kitty keeps newspaper clippings that contain stories about you and other prominent men and women of the town and showed them to me when she learned your name. Are all the women in town looking to marry you?”
“I certainly hope not, Miss Bennet. Do the stories say that?”
“To be truthful, I had never heard of you before meeting you at Lucas Lodge and Kitty then showed me her stories. I do not read gossip so I suppose my sister read that.”
“I have found no reason to disbelieve anything you have told me and I certainly know you are not a fortune hunter. Yesterday I understood you needed to return home but I was pleased to receive the list. Perhaps I was too forward when I asked to join you on your walk. If I have troubled you, I am very sorry. Such a walk becomes you and I saw it yesterday as well as this morning”
“Mr. Darcy, when you told me that you had visited that bookstore and another one the following two days, I believed for the first time in my life that I had a man who was interested in me enough to search for me.”
“Miss Bennet, I find it difficult to believe that you are not married. If you were in town you would be pursued by many men. I am just pleased that I saw you and your sisters as you walked in Meryton. I knew at that moment that I had found you and of course we met at the dinner party. You can be assured that I was enthralled at finally meeting you and getting to know you.”
“I am afraid you will make be blush again.”
“Blush all you will, but I have other news. My sister Georgiana will arrive either today or on the morrow and will bring many books back to Netherfield with her. Once she arrives my friend and I would like for you and your sister to join us for dinner on the morrow. We will of course come to get you and will take you home later and Georgiana will accompany us. Please say you will join us?”
“That sounds lovely, Mr. Darcy. I am certain Jane will approve as well.”
“Good, so we will come for you at five on the morrow. This will give your sister and yourself a chance to see the inside since the previous owner left for town.”
“We have not visited there for at least the last five years. I have heard that the furniture is mostly new.”
“Yes, that is what Mr. Bingley told me. We both think you and your sister will be interested in walking the house and the gardens.”
“Jane and I also look forward to meeting your sister. I suppose she will take Miss Bingley’s place as hostess?”
“Yes, but she will be nervous. I am certain she will like both of you and all will be well.”
“Could you also show us the library? We might all peruse the books together.”
“Yes, I also would like you and your sister to help place many of the books in his library. Of course you can take any you see back to your home. I doubt my friend will do much reading when your sister is nearby.”
“My sister is not a great reader either, Elizabeth replied. I suppose that leaves you and me to read your books, but you have likely read all of them, have you not?”
“No, there are some I have not fully read but I have perused every one. Miss Bennet, perhaps you should ask your father which books he would like to read and he can keep them.”
“He has no more room in his library but might wish to borrow a few.”
“Then he should visit Netherfield and decide for himself. Moreover, perhaps Mr. Bingley should invite all your family to visit Netherfield?”
“I could see that happening one day in the future but it is too early. For that matter, the owner was a recluse and did not socialize with any locals and Mr. Bingley might want to consider inviting others to visit. That would endear him to many of the locals and show them he welcomes his neighbors.”
“Is there a reason why the owner behaved as a hermit?”
“Yes, nearly ten years ago he lost his only son in an accident at Oxford where he was a student. The father had never been outgoing and the lost of his only child made him go inward.”
“That is very sad. App
arently the owner still maintains managing Netherfield’s tenant farms. Mr. Bingley and I have finally met some of the tenants and the steward. I believe my friend wants to purchase all of Netherfield but he has not yet decided to put roots down in Hertfordshire.”
“I understand what you are saying.”
“Mr. Darcy, I am certain that many young women would like to pair up with you or Mr. Bingley for there are not that many unmarried gentlemen near us and few opportunities to marry. If you had been at the dance you would have seen what I am saying. There simply are not enough good men to provide husbands for the available women.”
“Well, those other women will have to wait, for we have a dinner party awaiting us and the only women on our minds are you and your sister and my sister. One day I hope to introduce you to my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. He will think you quite charming but might bore you with talk of the little general’s campaigns.”
“Sir, I will not be bored by such talk; in fact, I would have some questions to ask him.”
The couple continued to speak on many subjects as they walked when Elizabeth tripped on a root and lost her balance. Before Darcy could catch her she fell down a shallow incline. Darcy immediately came to her as she winced in pain as she tried to hold back her tears.
“Miss Bennet, it appears you have hurt your wrist as you braced yourself from hitting your head. Are you hurt badly?”
“No, but I feel more embarrassed than hurt. You must think I am a fool and now I suspect you see me as some wild thing?”
“Do not be embarrassed, my friend. The exercise has brightened your eyes but your fall is understandable. Do not worry yourself, for you are no wild thing. You have lost some pins and your curls are coming free but you can hide them under your bonnet. You are favoring your left wrist so I believe you may have sprained it?”
“That is what I think. I do not believe it is broken but I will have to see the doctor to be certain.”
“If you let me help you we can get up to level ground?”
“I welcome your assistance, Mr. Darcy. Normally I would use both hands to go up the hill but with my left wrist hurt I can certainly use your help.”
Darcy could see she was in pain and was embarrassed but just wanted to help her and he knew he would have to be close to her if they were to climb the slope.
“You do not have to be brave, Miss Bennet. I know you hurt and if you want to cry out, please do.”
“Thank you, it hurts but I will get by.”
Darcy next retrieved a small limb on the ground and began to fashion a crude walking stick.
“Miss Bennet, I will hold onto your body with my right arm around your waist and you can use this large stick with your right hand and we can climb up now if you wish?”
She looked at him and smiled, though her wrist hurt. “Then let us do it, Mr. Darcy.” He next took the lead and they soon reached level ground.
“Thank you, sir, but I suppose I must now return home as soon as I can.”
“Of course you must, but I would like to assist you. Are you certain I cannot have you ride with me on Fog?”
“Thank you, but I must walk back by myself. I am not far from home and my father will have the doctor attend to me. You already have helped, plus you calmed my nerves. I have enjoyed our time together and will be ready along with Jane for dinner on the morrow, so we will expect to see you and your sister and Mr. Bingley at five.”
“Yes, Miss Bennet, I shall walk with you until your home is in sight and then will return to Netherfield.”
After walking closer to Longbourn they next said goodbyes and Darcy watched as she neared her home. Now he thought of how she would be treated at home. Neither she nor he had mentioned his putting his arm around her waist but he knew those thoughts would visit him that night.
Mr. Bennet saw her from his library window and knew his Lizzy was hurt and came out to help her.
“What in the world happened?”
“I tripped over a root and fell down the embankment. I must look horrid?”
“You could never look bad to me, Lizzy, but your left wrist is swollen so we will have to pay Doctor Jones a visit.”
“Nonsense, Mr. Bennet, we should wait for him to visit Longbourn.”
Mrs. Bennet had also seen Elizabeth approaching the house and came out behind her husband.
“No, Fanny, I will take Lizzy to him right away and we will take the carriage.”
“You mean you will skip breakfast?”
“No, Fanny, Lizzy and I can eat later. I just want to get Doctor Jones to take a look at our girl and we should catch him at home since it is so early.”
A short time later Mr. Bennet assisted Elizabeth up into the carriage. He also gave her a pillow that she put on her lap to rest her arm while the wrist was not in contact.
“I shall not be too hasty on the road, Lizzy, but it is important that we not risk further injury to your wrist.”
“Where did you walk today?”
With those words she looked at her father and would not lie to him and told of her seeing the man the last two days.
“So let me get this straight. Yesterday you walked all the way to Netherfield to give him a list of books. I thought you said you would walk to Oakham Mount?”
“I did say that father but when I went to grab my bonnet I remembered the list and ran upstairs to get it.”
“And you did not take even one step inside Netherfield?”
“No, Papa and neither did I accept his offer to take me home in the carriage.”
“And you agreed to meet with him and walk today?”
“Yes, and most of last night I wished that I had not been so quick to agree to walk with him.”
“Well, he should have caught you before you fell.”
“Please do not speak badly about the man, Papa. He tried to catch me but it happened so sudden. He offered to take me home but I refused.”
“Do not tell your mother these things or she will start making wedding plans. She already has plans for Jane and Mr. Bingley.”
“Lizzy, I noticed you talked with the man a lot at Lucas Lodge and I caught him looking at you often and you were doing the same with him.”
“Yes, Papa, but there is more.” She next told him of seeing Darcy in town.
“So he is the very man you met in the bookstore in town. I must agree your meeting him in Hertfordshire is quite a surprise.”
“I did not exactly meet him in town, Papa. He watched as I spoke with the owner and he was staring at me and smiled at me as I left the store.”
“Now Lizzy, is he a gentleman or should I tell him to stay away? You must have read Kitty’s stories from The Times,so are you not worried that the man will try and take advantage of you?”
“Papa, he is not like the man who is portrayed in the papers. Indeed, I like him and can find no fault with him. Mr. Bingley has invited Jane and I for dinner on the morrow and Mr. Darcy’s sister will be there as well. Please say you will allow it, for I have already told Mr. Darcy we will come?”
“Yes, Lizzy, you both can go, but let us see what the doctor says about your wrist.”
They finally reached the doctor’s house and saw the man.
“Thomas Bennet, Lizzy, what can I help you with?”
Elizabeth explained what happened and soon the doctor examined her wrist and washed and dried it off before the man wrapped her wrist and gave her a shoulder strap.
“Lizzy, it is a bad sprain but now you go on and watch out for those roots and I will check in with you in a few days. Remember also that you essentially have only your right arm and hand and will have to adjust accordingly.”
CHAPTER 5
That night Elizabeth tried not to show her excitement about the dinner when she told Jane. She also wished she did not have to protect her wrist. Jane was even more excited and with Mr. Bingley’s sisters away in town she was also more relaxed. Though she had found the Bingley sisters tolerable, she felt they looked down on her
family and the locals and was relieved they had returned to town. In just a few hours the men and Miss Darcy would come for them.
“Lizzy, I am nearly as interested in you and Mr. Darcy as myself and Mr. Bingley. Have you grown closer to Mr. Darcy?”
Elizabeth had been careful to keep secret from her sister her walk to Netherfield and thought Jane might tease her about being in love with Mr. Darcy. She had mostly shared her secrets with Jane but only her father knew that she had walked to Netherfield and that Mr. Darcy and her had walked together.
“I cannot say, Jane, but I am pleased we have both been invited for dinner and we will meet Miss Darcy too.”
“How again was this invitation made?”
Elizabeth wanted to reply and not look like she was being untruthful and finally she put her words together.
“Did I not tell you that the dinner was discussed when we were at Lucas Lodge?”
“Perhaps you did tell me but I just do not remember.”
Jane still looked confused but never asked that question again. She had not talked that much about her feelings for Mr. Bingley but Elizabeth was confident that her sister was on her way to falling in love with the man. As for herself, she enjoyed being around Mr. Darcy. How he could have avoided all those fortune hunters was hard for her to understand but she knew that the man was good and she suspected Georgiana might be like him.
But Elizabeth increasingly was having stirrings about the man and her dream that night was of Mr. Darcy putting his arm around her waist to help her climb up the incline. Now she again thought of her fall and she could feel his hot breath and his strength. His scent of leather and spice made her not only want him to be the first man to kiss her but her heart wanted more and all of these thoughts scared her for she had never felt that way before.
* *
Earlier the next morning Georgiana and her lady’s maid left town and travelled to Netherfield along with Darcy’s valet, Mr. Davis.
OUT OF THE BLUE CLEAR SKY: (A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE VARIATION) Page 3