‘You did not think he came to call upon you?’
Though it had been her first thought, Elizabeth dismissed it with a shake of her head. ‘There is nothing of mutual interest between us. Why would he call, other than to see his tenant?’
Jane frowned. ‘There was something Mr Darcy wished to speak of to me, but we were interrupted by Mr Wentworth. I cannot think what he should wish to say, for we have little in common other than you, Lizzy, or...’ Jane paled and bit her lip. ‘Unless…’
‘Mr Bingley! He must be coming to visit; oh, Jane!’
‘I do not fear it – indeed, I have long suspected he might one day make some stay with his friend.’
‘Why do you think Mr Darcy would speak to you of it?’
‘I do not, not for certain. But I cannot think what else he might have wanted to say – can you?’
Elizabeth kept her own counsel. She had a horrid suspicion Mr Darcy might have been going to speak to Jane about her. Was he going to try and curry favour? No – he would not. He had no need of her good opinion and what was more, he knew he could never earn it.
You deceive yourself, for have you not wondered whether his affections had endured? ‘I do not wish for him to still have feelings for me!’
Jane blinked. ‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Oh! Forgive me, Jane. I did not mean to speak aloud.’ Heat rushed into Elizabeth’s cheeks, and she grabbed a book from the side table, opening it randomly and hiding behind it.
A rustle of skirts forewarned her, and then Jane’s face appeared over the top of the book. ‘It is upside down, Lizzy.’ She turned the book the right way up before returning to her seat. ‘You think he may have been going to try and establish your present opinion of him?’
‘Of course not!’ Elizabeth turned a page without having read a single word – not that the book would have held her attention. It was a reference text of her father’s about hunting hounds. ‘Besides, if there is one thing of which there is no doubt, it is our mutual opinions of each other!’
~o0o~
The following morning dawned fair, and once the hour became acceptable, Darcy escorted his sister out to the waiting carriage. As their conveyance emerged into the park, he threw Georgiana a cautious glance. She watched him, a mixture of excitement and anxiety writ across her countenance.
‘Do you forgive me, Brother?’
Darcy could not help but laugh. ‘I fear I have little choice in the matter. Nor did I over paying this call, it would seem.’
‘But you spoke of its inevitability, did you not? All I sought was to ease any discomfort you may be harbouring—the sooner the call is paid and the introductions made the better, for then you can put the matter aside—yes?’
Georgiana’s tone was matter of fact, and he could not deny she had the right of it. ‘Which would account for your suggestion over supper last night you have Rivers tell you which property the Bennets occupy, that you may call regardless, even if I did not wish to accompany you?’
‘I could not call alone; you know I could not. But...’ Georgiana looked a little guilty, and Darcy raised a brow.
‘But you could have walked in the general direction of The Grange, hoping for a fortuitous meeting?’
‘Perchance. You do forgive me, do you not, for my curiosity?’
Leaning forward, Darcy patted her hands, which were clasped in her lap. ‘Curiosity is not a crime. You have the right of it; once this call is beyond us, I shall not have to anticipate it further.’
For anticipate it he had; all through a very long night. Darcy leaned back in his seat. He was not blind to the sense behind paying the call swiftly and, with their commitment today and Bingley due to arrive late on the morrow, it also presented him with a last chance to speak with Miss Bennet—should circumstance favour him. This was not what had troubled him overnight, though. It was Elizabeth and the past standing between them.
‘Georgie? You will not—you do comprehend there must be no suggestion of—‘
‘Do not worry, Fitz. I am eager to meet the lady, but I have neither forgotten what passed, nor intend to cause undue concern for either party. I merely wish to become acquainted with someone who has been of significance to you.’ Georgiana smiled and then turned to look out of the window at the passing countryside.
A strange constriction gripped his throat. Elizabeth had once been of such significance; how could it all have come to this? Darcy firmly pushed his regrets aside, as he had become accustomed to do, and studied his sister instead. Her confidence continued to develop. Their travelling had done much in her favour, and he was glad of it. It was inevitable there would be times when the improvement came back to torment him!
Chapter Sixteen
Jane and Elizabeth were gathering flowers in the garden when the sound of an approaching conveyance reached them. It was only as the clatter of hooves lessened that Elizabeth realised it might be coming to The Grange, and as an elegant carriage came into view in the lane bordering their property, she turned to Jane in dismay.
‘Please tell me my eyes deceive me and that is not the Darcy carriage?’
Jane shrugged lightly. ‘Perchance it is; and what if it is so? It is an open road, is it not?’
‘Then let us pray it continues upon it!’ Her plea went unanswered, and Elizabeth drew in a shallow breath as the carriage turned in through the gates. ‘Why come in all this state when we are but a few miles distant?’
‘It is not for us to judge, Lizzy. Come, we must make ourselves tidy.’ Jane took Elizabeth’s arm and almost dragged her around to the rear of the house and in through the boot room.
Barely had they both joined their father in the drawing room when the doorbell rang, and Elizabeth grabbed her sewing box, determined to look as though she had no time for a caller.
When Alice entered, they all got to their feet, Elizabeth slowly and unwilling to release her needlework.
‘Mr Darcy and Miss Darcy, sir,’ Alice said to Mr Bennet before standing aside to permit the callers to enter the room.
Elizabeth threw Jane a surprised look, turning back as Mr Darcy entered, a slender and elegant young lady on his arm, and he quickly made the introduction to her father. What could he mean by it? It was unfathomable!
‘I trust we are not inconveniencing you with our call, Mr Bennet.’
‘Not at all, sir. We are quite at leisure.’
Mr Darcy turned then to Jane and Elizabeth, his sister still at his side.
‘Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, may I present my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy?’
The ladies exchanged civilities, and as she met the openly curious eye of the young girl, Elizabeth smiled warmly. ‘I am delighted to meet you, Miss Darcy, for I have heard much about you.’
The unease upon Mr Darcy’s countenance surprised Elizabeth. Did he suspect she meant Wickham?
‘Your aunt, Lady Catherine, spoke highly of your proficiency with your instrument, and Miss Bingley spoke highly of all else!’
Miss Darcy responded with a smile, and ‘Miss Bingley is too kind.’ It was not a sentiment Elizabeth felt she could respond to politely.
Mr Darcy turned back to Mr Bennet. ‘My sister was keen to add her welcome to Pemberley, sir, once I explained the connection. Our prior acquaintance, that is. We journey to Matlock to visit family who have just returned home from Town. This is our only chance, for we have guests arriving shortly.’
Mr Bennet raised a brow as he glanced towards the window fronting onto the drive. ‘By a somewhat circuitous route, sir? Is not Matlock south of Pemberley?’
‘My brother is very accommodating to my wishes.’ Miss Darcy looked a little discomfited, and Elizabeth took pity on her, inviting her to walk over to a chaise. Elizabeth could see her father engaging Mr Darcy in conversation as they took a seat by the hearth and Jane doing the necessary in pulling the bell for hot water before addressing herself to preparing the tea things.
‘Please, take a seat, Miss Darcy.’ They both settled themse
lves comfortably. ‘I share your fondness for music, though I am not a proficient. Do tell me, who is your favourite composer.’
Darcy, meanwhile, was struggling. He had barely seen Elizabeth the night she had soaked him, and their fleeting exchange the previous morning had been over in an instant.
Sitting now with her in full view and—what was more—talking animatedly to Georgiana, he could not help but dwell upon his former wishes and his hopes for such a meeting.
In an attempt to ignore the charming sight across the room, Darcy half listened to Mr Bennet as he spoke of his enjoyment of his latest book, fixing his gaze instead on Jane Bennet as she prepared and distributed the tea. How was he to manage a moment to speak with her? Then, he started as the ever-present Alice entered.
‘Pray excuse the intrusion, sir,’ she addressed herself to her master. ‘There is a matter of some urgency requiring your attention.’
With Mr Bennet gone from the room and Elizabeth now leading Georgiana over to the pianoforte against the far wall, Darcy realised his chance had come.
‘Miss Bennet.’ Jane looked up with a smile as he came to stand near the table housing the urn and tea-making paraphernalia.
‘Do you wish your cup refreshed, Mr Darcy?’
‘Not at all,’ he raised his still full cup to show her. ‘I wondered if I might speak to you?’
Jane threw a quick look towards her sister who was setting some music on the stand; then she smiled and gestured towards a nearby chaise. ‘Of course; please, let us sit.’
Elizabeth looked over as she became aware of movement across the room. She had been half expecting Mr Darcy to join them and was taken aback to see him take a seat beside her sister instead.
‘My brother has spoken of you.’
Turning back to Georgiana, who stood beside the pianoforte, Elizabeth laughed. ‘Oh dear; I cannot imagine it to be favourable.’ Despite her attempt at levity, consternation swept through her. What might Mr Darcy have said of their previous acquaintance?
‘It was, of course. I was—‘ Georgiana hesitated. ‘I was sorry to hear of your loss last year.’ There was genuine compassion in the young lady’s face, and Elizabeth felt touched, though hopeful she had not been told much of the sorry tale.
‘You are kind; we are adjusting, and though it is an old adage, time is a great healer.’ She could not help but glance over towards Mr Darcy as these words fell from her lips, but when she turned back to face Miss Darcy, it was to find her watching intently.
‘I believe you have met with my aunt and cousin—in Kent’
‘Yes; I have had the pleasure of making their acquaintance.’ Elizabeth smiled ruefully. ‘Though I will own to having barely exchanged words with your cousin. I fear she is not a great conversationalist.’
Georgiana smiled. ‘You are quite correct. I do not see her very often and she is, of course, much older than I. Yet she is pleasant enough when she can trouble herself sufficiently to attend.’
‘And today you travel to Matlock to see more relations?’
‘Yes. My aunt and uncle are very dear to me, and we spend a good deal of time together as we share a county. I am also exceedingly close to my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.’
Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled. ‘I recall the colonel. He was excellent company when I was in Kent. How is he?’
‘In good health. We saw him on our return from our travels, but briefly. He is coming to make some stay with us soon, and I shall be so happy to see him again.’
‘There could be no better recommendation! I am sure you will spend your time delightfully.’
‘And—and my brother?’
‘Your brother?’
‘Yes—you saw him in Kent, did you not?’
Unsure where the conversation was heading, Elizabeth threw a quick glance towards Mr Darcy. Would he not deem the fifteen minutes which had passed as sufficient for this call of duty? Yet surely there was no ‘duty’ to be considered? This call was unprecedented and unnecessary, as they all knew full well. The gentleman, however, looked engrossed in his conversation with her sister, and Elizabeth frowned.
‘Miss Elizabeth?’
‘Forgive me, Miss Darcy!’ Elizabeth turned about. ‘My concentration is not doing you the justice you deserve. Yes, I did see your brother. Now come, let us have some music.’
Elizabeth encouraged Georgiana to take a seat at the instrument. ‘We shall make music whilst the others waste their breath on tiresome conversation.’
‘I do love to play, but I am less enamoured of exhibiting.’
‘Then let us play a duet. Your skill will help to shield the mangling of the notes by my own hand.’
Georgiana moved along the seat and Elizabeth joined her, and thus they passed the remainder of the visit. If Elizabeth did occasionally glance over towards where a certain gentleman sat, she told herself it was merely to ensure he was being properly attended to. When not once was his attention upon her and his sister, but more noticeably focused on whatever he was talking to Jane of, she dismissed her sudden irritability as a desire for him to be gone.
Mr Bennet returned but a short while later, and soon after the guests took their leave, making their way along the drive towards their conveyance. Turning towards his daughters where they remained in the hallway, the gentleman frowned.
‘Well, my dears, that was unexpected—and a pleasure. The air of Derbyshire suits Mr Darcy; he is much more agreeable here.’
Elizabeth shrugged lightly. ‘I believe he is likely to be more himself in his own neighbourhood, Papa.’
Mr Bennet’s brow rose sardonically. ‘Truly, Lizzy? You astound me with your largesse. I am, of course, very much obliged to him for our present situation. We are comfortably established in an alien land. His notice will give us consequence which, at the risk of sounding like your late mother, will only be to your good.’ He grunted. ‘I may soon forego my previous impression of the gentleman, when he found the air of Hertfordshire much less tolerable!’ He threw Elizabeth a searching glance. ‘And you, Lizzy, were the first to deplore his inability to breathe it with any finesse.’
Jane placed a hand on Elizabeth’s arm. ‘At times, we all make mistakes over first impressions, do we not?’
‘Hmmph.’ Mr Bennet turned away. ‘I will be in my library should you need me.’
‘Lizzy? Are you coming?’ Jane gestured back towards the drawing room, but Elizabeth shook her head.
‘I will join you directly, Jane.’
Alone once more, Elizabeth stared out of the still open doorway. Mr Darcy was assisting his sister into the carriage. The affection between them was obvious to all, and she sighed. Yes, she had to admit his goodness as a brother also. Perchance she...
‘What are you about, Miss Lizzy?’
Alice appeared at Elizabeth’s side. ‘The young man’s cloth has been here these eight and forty hours! Why did you not think to return it?’ She ‘tsked’ and grabbed the neck cloth from the side table, thrusting it into Elizabeth’s unwilling hands.
‘But—’
‘No ‘buts’, if you please, miss.’ Alice gave Elizabeth a gentle push, all but forcing her out of the door.
Mr Darcy was about to step into the carriage, and Elizabeth hesitated. Surely this could wait?
‘Mr Darcy, sir!’ Alice bellowed over Elizabeth’s shoulder, and the gentleman turned about. ‘Off you go, miss!’
‘No! You take it, Alice!’ Elizabeth tried to hand it back, but the housekeeper merely folded her arms across her chest. ‘I have not the time to go chasing after handsome young men!’
Elizabeth glanced back over her shoulder. Mr Darcy stood by his carriage, waiting.
‘Make haste, child, or your chance will be gone.’
With little option but to do as she was told, Elizabeth walked quickly down the drive to where the carriage stood. Mr Darcy had begun to walk towards her, a frown on his brow.
‘Is anything amiss?’
‘Alice wished me to return this, sir.’
Elizabeth held out the neatly folded neck cloth, but found it difficult to meet the gentleman’s eye. Instead, her gaze dropped to the cloth he presently wore about his neck. It felt incredibly intimate to feel the smooth fabric beneath her fingers, to know it had been against his throat, his skin, and she felt heat steal into her cheeks.
No word came from Mr Darcy, nor did he relieve her of her burden, and Elizabeth slowly raised her eyes to his, surprising such a look upon his countenance as made her catch her breath. It was gone in an instant but her insides swirled with inexplicable sensations. She needed to escape!
‘Sir?’
The gentleman blinked, then took the offering from her. ‘I thank you; good day, Miss Bennet.’
He bowed and walked back towards his conveyance, and Elizabeth turned and hurried back to the house, conscious only of her embarrassment and the wide eyed stare of Georgiana Darcy through the carriage window.
~o0o~
Darcy eyed the neatly folded neck cloth in his hand warily as the carriage gained the turnpike and headed south towards Matlock. Is this all it required? He had not been blind to the fine cracks in his carefully constructed armour, but would this one moment pierce it, tear it from his shoulders and leave him open and vulnerable once more? How could such a simple thing as Elizabeth walking towards him, raising those eyes to his, affect him so? He was undone in an instant!
‘Brother?’ Georgiana’s voice was tentative, and he looked up. ‘Does something trouble you?’
‘I am quite well.’
‘Pleased though I am to hear it, that was not my question.’
Darcy put the cloth aside. ‘There is nothing amiss my dear.’
He could see from his sister’s countenance she did not believe him.
‘Thank you for indulging me with regard to paying the call upon the Bennet family.’
‘You were quite right to suggest it; it is over and done now.’ Was not firmly establishing the connection all they had done? Surely they could not escape the acquaintance now?
Georgiana must have known this also, but she made no comment, instead turning the conversation to their visit. ‘It was a pleasure to make their acquaintance at last. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is...’she hesitated and Darcy held his breath. ’She is as delightful as you implied.’
A Quest for Mr Darcy Page 10