by Jann Rowland
It seemed Mr. Darcy was impressed. “Then I must presume you have read Donne, Byron, Coleridge, and Chaucer? I already know you are a devotee of Blake.”
“And many more,” replied Elizabeth. “My father felt that his daughters should be educated in classical and modern literature, so he ensured we were all exposed to it to a certain extent, though some have more affinity than others. But these are not all, for I can speak and read French and Italian, and have some familiarity with Voltaire, Rousseau, and others.” Elizabeth paused and laughed. “Jane is also proficient in German, but for myself, I have always found it incomprehensible.”
“I am impressed, Miss Elizabeth,” said Mr. Darcy, his countenance reflecting his statement. “The accomplishments of the Bennet sisters were unknown to me.”
“My father would have it no other way,” said Elizabeth. “Papa is a learned man and wished his progeny to be knowledgeable themselves, for he is of the opinion that no enlightened thought can be obtained without education. Mary and I were the most eager of his children, though we have all been trained to think critically.”
“Then do you have some favorites? I am interested to learn if your education is equal to that which I received at Cambridge.”
While Elizabeth might have suspected the man of sarcasm, the manner in which he spoke, earnest and even a little eager, spoke to his sincerity. What followed was brief—perhaps only thirty minutes of conversation altogether, but in that time they canvassed their likes and dislikes, spoke of their impressions of various works, and contrasted where their opinions differed.
In that short time, Elizabeth discovered Mr. Darcy was partial to Shakespeare’s tragedies, whereas she preferred the comedies; learned that Mr. Darcy preferred Donne to Cowper; and discovered the gentleman was widely read on a variety of subjects but preferred philosophy to poetry. Elizabeth found herself responding, informing him of her preferences, speaking of some of the works she had read, and even received some advice of books he thought she might like. By the time she realized that a half-hour had passed, she could only wonder how it had come and gone without her noticing.
“I apologize, Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth at length, “but I believe I have been here long enough. If I stay much longer, my father will wonder where I am.”
“That is understandable, Miss Elizabeth,” said Mr. Darcy, seeming to realize for the first time how long they had been together. “I thank you for speaking to me, for it has been a most enlightening conversation.”
“It has,” was Elizabeth’s soft reply.
Then she turned and, without another word, approached Midnight and lifted herself into the saddle. When she turned back to Mr. Darcy, he was watching her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, Elizabeth was almost loath to leave him, though she knew she must.
“Farewell, Mr. Darcy,” said she, raising a hand in parting.
“Until next time,” replied the gentleman, mirroring her action in response.
As she rode away, Elizabeth wondered if there would be a next time. Though she knew she was breaking her promise to her father, she also realized she wanted to see the gentleman again. She wanted it very much.
Another meeting between members of the Bennet and Darcy clans took place, though unlike the other, the second meeting did not occur away from prying eyes on the edges of two great estates. It was also not a meeting which included anyone bearing the Bennet surname, though Alexander Darcy might have wished to meet anyone other than the man who spied him on the street in Lambton. By the time he saw the gentleman, it was too late to turn and leave.
“Mr. Darcy,” said Mr. David Gardiner, stepping up to where Alexander stood, preparing to mount his horse. “I wish to have words with you for a moment.”
“It would be best if we did not,” said Alexander, wishing to avoid a confrontation. “Let us go our separate ways, Mr. Gardiner, for I have no interest in an argument.”
“There is no need for us to argue,” replied Mr. Gardiner. “I only wish to impart a message, after which we may part as amicably as possible.”
Alexander eyed the other man for a moment, and noting he did not seem belligerent, and agreed to listen to him. In fact, it seemed to him he could not avoid it without provoking the argument he did not wish to have.
“The reason I wish to speak with you is simple,” said Mr. Gardiner. “Your reputation precedes you, sir. Tales of your exploits are well known in town, and it is for this reason, more than any difficulty between our two families, which prompts me to insist you stay away from my nieces.”
“Oh?” asked Alexander, feeling a little annoyed. “Have you appointed yourself their protector then? I might have thought Lord Arundel, being a baron, would fight his own battles.”
“Lord Arundel is capable of defending his family, sir; you would not be wise to make any insinuations. Be that as it may, I am closely connected to the Bennet family, and have an interest in protecting my nieces. I do not usurp my brother’s position; I reinforce it.”
“Then you need not fear, Mr. Gardiner,” said Alexander. “My reputation is exaggerated, though I will own I have been a little wild in my youth. Despite this, I have come to the same conclusion myself—I have no desire to provoke unpleasantness between our families and every desire to keep my distance. Your nieces are safe from me.”
The way Mr. Gardiner watched him, Alexander thought the man searching him to see if he was telling the truth. After a moment of this, Alexander sighed.
“I know not what I must do to prove myself to you.”
“I shall take your word as a gentleman,” said Mr. Gardiner. “If you offer it, I shall accept it.”
“Then I do,” replied Alexander.
“Good,” said Mr. Gardiner. “Then I bid you a good day.”
Mr. Gardiner tipped his hat and walked away, leaving Alexander watching him as he went. After a moment Mr. Gardiner was out of sight, and Alexander mounted his horse to return to Pemberley.
Alexander decided his father and siblings did not need to know of the meeting with Mr. Gardiner. The man had issued his demands and Alexander had responded the way his father had required him only days before. Since there had been no unpleasantness, it did not bear further consideration.
As it had many times in the past few days, the memory of Lydia Bennet returned to him as he allowed his mount its head to return to Pemberley. The girl was interesting, and Alexander had not felt that way about a woman for some time. Her manner had been so unlike anything he had seen before, he wondered what kind of girl she was. In some ways, she reminded him of Miss Gainsborough, though that woman was more calculating than Miss Lydia. Miss Lydia was more of a flirt.
Alexander did not know what to make of her, but he supposed it did not matter. The Bennets and their connections were to be shunned, and he would gain no more insight into Miss Lydia. It was a shame, for he found himself thinking about her more often than he should.
Chapter XI
Darcy could not be sure why he had approached Miss Elizabeth. It was best, as his father said, if the Darcy family avoided all contact with their Bennet neighbors, for as Darcy had said himself, continued clashes could provoke a return to a more active conflict. None of them wished for that, the Bennets as much as the Darcys.
But something had spurred Darcy on, some unconscious well of fascination for the second-eldest Bennet daughter. What was it? Darcy could not be certain, though he often thought on the matter. She was, as he had already thought many times, unlike any other woman he had ever met. The matter of the Bennet sisters’ education he could only applaud, for Darcy had never been of the opinion that women should concentrate on “proper” activities. The world was a large place, and there were many situations in which a person could find themselves; it was best she possess knowledge of the world around her, so she was prepared to live in it.
When Darcy had approached the hill and seen Miss Elizabeth sitting under the gnarled old oak tree, her attention focused on the pages before her, he had almost tu
rned his horse around and returned from whence he came. That would have been the prudent course. The sight of her immersed in her study, however, had called to him, and as he had approached, the appeal of the woman’s person was nigh overpowering. When she had looked up and seen him—and it had not missed Darcy’s attention that she had made to leave at once—he had been lost, any thought of departing gone in favor of the need to speak to her, to be the focus of her attention. Their conversation had left him even more impressed.
Though his introspection was a constant companion those days, Darcy soon realized he was not the only member of his family so afflicted. It was more easily seen in Alexander, who was a more open sort of man than Darcy ever had been. But when he asked, Alexander was quick to brush off any attempt to discover what was on his mind.
“There is nothing the matter with me, William. There are many thoughts on my mind, not the least of which is this situation with the Bennets. I have also been thinking about my estate.”
That last admission surprised Darcy. “Thorndell?”
“That is its name, is it not?” asked Alexander, amusement dripping from his voice. “I have not given it the attention I should have—of this, I am well aware. As I am now five and twenty and Father has declared his desire to pass much of Pemberley’s management to you, it should not be surprising I should begin to think of Thorndell.”
“Thorndell is a picturesque estate,” said Georgiana, who was with them in the sitting-room. “William took me there just after you left for London. I believe with a woman’s touch it would become a wonderful home.”
Alexander laughed. “Are you now attempting to inform me it is time I married, Sister?”
“I would never presume to do so,” said Georgiana, though her twinkling eyes belied her denial. “Before too many years have passed, you will need to consider such things.”
With a shaken head, Alexander said: “You are correct, Georgiana, but I believe I am not ready to be shackled to a woman just yet. Many men of our set do not marry until they are thirty. William here is seven and twenty and still has no interest in marrying.”
This talk of marriage and Darcy’s age caused the image of Miss Elizabeth Bennet to flash before his eyes. Darcy shook the image away, knowing it was silly to think such things of a woman whose family was an enemy of his.
“It is not that I have no interest in marrying,” replied Darcy. “It is only that I have never found a woman I wish to come to know better.” Even as he said it, something in Darcy’s mind whispered there was such a woman. But she was unsuitable in every way.
“Then perhaps you should surrender and marry Anne,” replied Alexander to Georgiana’s amusement. “If you did so, at least you would make Aunt Catherine happy.”
“At the expense of my own happiness,” grumbled Darcy.
“This is a fine representation of Cousin Anne!” protested Georgiana. “She is a lovely young woman, and one I believe you find interesting.”
“That is true,” replied Darcy. “But I also remember Anne as a child, for she is a little younger than Alexander, if you recall. Though I love Anne as a Cousin, engaging in piracy, sword fights, and other such play diminished my interest in her as a woman.”
“And you know Anne has no more desire to marry William than he has to marry her,” added Alexander. “I understand his reasons, for I do not think I could marry her either.”
“As long as you are not dismissing her because she is not suitable,” said Georgiana, trying—and failing—to glare at her brothers when they were both aware of her continued mirth. Then she addressed Darcy again. “If you or Anne were to marry, Aunt Catherine would cease promoting the match with such fervor.”
Alexander snorted his disdain. “Anne marrying is unlikely, not when Aunt Catherine is so set on her marrying our brother.”
“Then William must marry. Not only would he find his happiness, but he would free Anne to find hers.”
“I believe she has you there, Brother,” said Alexander, fixing Darcy with a sidelong look. “The sooner you find a wife, the better Anne’s position will be. Perhaps we can find a man of the neighborhood to pay court to her when she comes.”
“They would face the same logistical problems as I,” replied Darcy. “Rosings is a large estate and would be difficult to manage from such a great distance as this. It is not Appleton or Blackfish Bay.”
Alexander nodded his understanding, for Darcy had just named two of the more profitable Darcy satellite estates. Rosings was an estate of seven to eight thousand a year, though it was not as diverse as Pemberley because of its location in the garden of England. By contrast, Blackfish Bay on the coast in Lincolnshire generated about two thousand a year, while Appleton Court was smaller, only generating three quarters that much. To manage Rosings, Darcy knew he must spend at least two or three months a year there, and while he could do it by leaving early for the season or returning late, Kent was not Derbyshire—he much preferred the latter.
“Perhaps it would be difficult to manage,” said Alexander, “but it would be a good estate to pass on to a second son.”
“That is true,” replied Darcy. “But the fact remains that I am not interested in Anne as a potential wife. I prefer to find someone with whom I can build a relationship of mutual affection, and I know Anne would like the same.
“In truth, it has always surprised me that you were not put forth as a match for Anne.” Alexander returned his look, a question contained within. “You are the younger son,” explained Darcy. “Though Thorndell is a good estate, it is not Pemberley and all its associated interests. Gaining Rosings would not make your future wealth the equal of mine, but it would do much to raise your consequence.”
“Have I ever given the impression of envy?” asked Alexander. When Darcy denied it, he shook his head and continued, saying: “Given the manner in which I have lived my life, the thought of managing Thorndell alone is daunting, to say nothing of adding Rosings.”
“That may be so, but it would have made more sense from the perspective of fortune. I never needed Rosings, but it would enhance your position beyond measure.”
“Come, William,” said Alexander, “I know you understand Aunt Catherine better than this. The reason she wished to marry Anne to you is precisely that you are wealthier than I. Lady Catherine’s interest is in creating a family dynasty, if you will. I believe she may even have designs on a title.”
“In that, you would be correct.” Detecting his siblings’ looks askance, Darcy elaborated: “Aunt Catherine has said nothing direct to me, but she has insinuated it more than once.”
“That is my aunt,” said Alexander, laughing while shaking his head.
It was at that moment the door opened and Mrs. Reynolds showed a visitor into the room. Darcy and his brother rose, accompanied by their sister, and got his first look at the woman who had entered the room. It was one of the most fortune-seeking females in the neighborhood, a woman who equaled Miss Bingley in her attempts to attach herself to the Darcy family. Oh, her attempts had never been overt—with one exception—for Darcy was well able to fend her off. Even so, Darcy knew how dangerous this viper could be.
“Miss Gainsborough!” said Alexander. The tone of his voice prompted Darcy to glance at his brother, and he noted Alexander’s countenance was as closed as he had ever seen.
“Mr. Darcy,” said the young woman smoothly. She then greeted Darcy himself in a more perfunctory manner before turning her attention to Georgiana. “Dear Miss Darcy, how are you this morning? It has been an age since I last saw you!”
Darcy could not have been more surprised, for he did not think Georgiana was acquainted with the other woman. Georgiana’s countenance mirrored her brothers’ surprise as she stammered for an answer.
“Miss Gainsborough. How wonderful it is to see you.”
“The pleasure is all mine. I had hoped you would visit me, but since you did not come, I thought I would take the first step.”
It did not miss Darcy’s
notice that while she spoke to Georgiana, her eyes never left Alexander, and he wondered what the woman could mean. A thought niggled its way through Darcy’s mind, and he remembered a party at one of the neighboring estates, a brief glimpse he had gotten of Alexander sitting close to this woman, laughing with her. He also remembered when her eyes had found Darcy’s during that interlude. Was Alexander aware the woman was attempting to come closer to Darcy through him?
As she was already here, there was nothing to do but sit with her. Georgiana ordered tea and they sat chatting for some time—Darcy said little, and though it surprised him, Alexander said little more. The visit passed as many other morning visits, the conversation consisting of the small talk Darcy found to be so dull. After they drank their tea, however, there was a slight change in the dynamic, as Miss Gainsborough turned her attention to Darcy and his brother.
“I am pleased to see you back in Lambton, Mr. Darcy. There was some talk Mr. Gardiner that he would call you out for the incident last summer.”
“It was nothing more than an accident,” replied Alexander. “Mr. Gardiner understands this. We have settled our differences.”
“That you have done so speaks well of you,” simpered Miss Gainsborough. “Then you will not be departing Derbyshire for some time?”
“I believe I am quite settled here for the present.”
It was when she fixed him with a beaming smile that Darcy had enough of the game. “Excuse me, Miss Gainsborough, but I was not aware you were acquainted with my sister.”
The look with which Miss Gainsborough regarded him was all insincerity hidden in shock. “We met in Lambton, did we not Miss Darcy?” The smile with which she regarded Georgiana did not make Darcy feel confident at all. “I liked your sister at once, for there is something pure and innocent about her which calls to anyone who listens.”