A Quest for Mr Darcy
Page 16
He could not deny it, and of all the countryside there was in the land, nothing could bring him comfort as Pemberley did. ‘I prefer it to Town, without question. As for Hertfordshire in the year eleven... I was in no humour for the demands of society; or, sadly, those of my friend.’ They both looked over towards Bingley, who had joined Jane and Wentworth. ‘I should not have conceded to his request to accompany him to Netherfield at that time.’
Elizabeth frowned. ‘What was so significant?’
Darcy glanced towards his sister; she was smiling happily, deep in conversation with a neighbouring family whom she had known since childhood.
‘My sister.’ He spoke with a lowered voice, and Elizabeth followed his gaze. ‘It was not long after... ‘ He did not need to continue as she placed a hand upon his arm briefly.
‘Forgive me for making light of it, Mr Darcy.’ She bit her lip, then added, ‘Mr Bingley is not the only one who can be persuaded, then, sir? His powers must be significant to take you away from Miss Darcy at such a time.’
Darcy looked over at his sister again. ‘Georgiana was adamant I join him; she had settled well with Mrs Annesley.’
Elizabeth looked confused, and he added, ‘Her companion.’
‘Miss Elizabeth!’
They both looked up as Olivia beckoned the lady over, and Darcy watched her go with mixed feelings. What was he doing, being drawn to Kympton? This had to stop!
Time soon came for the stragglers to depart for home and, farewells made, the Darcy party returned to their carriage and mounts, and Mr Bennet led his daughters out into the lane bordering the churchyard.
It was as Mr Bennet and Jane set off across the green that Elizabeth caught sight of Alice, over in a far corner of the churchyard, and they exchanged a wave before the latter turned her attention back to arranging the flowers on her late husband’s grave, something she had done every week since his passing some eleven years prior.
With sudden recollection, Elizabeth turned about. Any chance to speak to Mr Darcy about her concern over the sighting of the man in military garb in Meryton was gone; he was already atop his mount and leading the way back towards Pemberley. Perchance it was for the best. What would it serve for Mr Darcy other than to raise more unanswerable questions, just as it had for them?
Realising her father and sister were now half way across the green, Elizabeth turned to follow them, but then she felt her skin prickling and shuddered. Filled with the sense of being watched again, she turned around. Alice was gone and no one else lingered, and casting the thick golden leaves of the woodland bordering the churchyard a wary glance, she picked up her pace and hurried to catch up with her family.
~o0o~
A storm arose overnight and continued into Monday with no sign of abating, rain lashing against the windowpanes of The Grange and the trees bowing under a strong wind. Before long, there was an early carpet of gold and green scattered across the lawns and broken twigs spread all about.
Alone in the drawing room, Elizabeth placed her needlework aside. The light was low for the time of day and not conducive to close work. How she hated being prevented from taking her morning walk! What was more, Jane had succumbed to a lingering headache and taken to her bed to rest.
With her father secreted behind his library door, Alice muttering about the hens laying no eggs and the only sound being the ticking of the long-case clock in the corner, Elizabeth’s frustration grew as the morning pressed on. She made a perfunctory effort to practise on the pianoforte for an hour, but it could not hold her attention, and she hastened up to look in on her sister, only to find her asleep.
Crossing the landing to her own room, Elizabeth walked slowly over to the dresser and stared at her reflection. A solemn countenance was all her reward, and she sighed before reaching for the book on her bedside table and curling up on the bed.
It was but a half hour later that a knock came upon the door, and Elizabeth looked up as Alice entered.
‘There are some people come to call, Miss Lizzy, and your father requests you attend him in the drawing room directly.’
As soon as Alice left the room, Elizabeth returned to the mirror, then tucked a loose curl behind her ear. Callers were rare and, her curiosity roused, she escaped from the room, grateful for the respite from her own company.
~o0o~
By the afternoon, Jane felt sufficiently well to join her sister downstairs, though she remained flushed in the cheek, and they settled in the sitting room overlooking the garden which they had taken as their own. Higgins had made the fire up and lit the lamps, which emitted a cheerful glow, and Elizabeth took her usual chair with a smile.
‘I am pleased you are feeling a little better, Jane. I am thoroughly dissatisfied with my own company.’
Jane smiled as she took her own seat, pulling a shawl closely about her shoulders. ‘Were there not callers this morning for your entertainment?’
Elizabeth stared into the fire, which crackled merrily. ‘Callers there were, despite the inclement weather. I suspect plans may have been curtailed by it, hence people having time on their hands.’
‘It is an attention we have not been honoured with before now. Do you not wonder at it?’
Elizabeth shook her head. ‘Do you not recall Papa saying we would benefit from the connection to Pemberley, and did he not also say Mr Darcy introduced him to some new acquaintances only yesterday? For myself, however, I did not foresee it so soon.’
‘And were the visitors charming? Would you wish to know more of them?’
Elizabeth smiled. ‘Sir Charles and his wife were a surprise. They are indeed entertaining, and I should not be sorry to know more of them. Squire Ellingham was pleasant enough, but his wife made it obvious she considered the honour to be all on her side. Oh, and we are to receive an invitation to a ball.’
‘A ball? I cannot recall the last time we attended one.’
‘Aye—it has been so long, I fear I have forgot how to dance!’
Jane laughed, but then Alice entered the room.
‘A note from Pemberley, just delivered by a servant. ‘Tis addressed to you, Miss Lizzy.’
Jane, who had risen to her feet, took the note from her. ‘Thank you, Alice. May we please have some water sent in? I will wait upon Papa, so no need to trouble him.’
As the door closed, Jane handed the note to Elizabeth, who opened it and quickly perused its content.
‘I have been invited to afternoon tea with Miss Darcy.’ She glanced at her sister as she retook her seat. ‘After our walk on the morrow; she suggests three o’clock.’
Jane looked thoughtful. ‘I think Miss Darcy is quite taken with you, Lizzy.’
‘Though I am happy to know her, I cannot help but feel Mr Darcy must be rueing the day old Mr Thackeray retired, leaving The Grange vacant and ripe for invasion by Bennets!’
Jane laughed, then coughed. ‘Oh dear.’ She cleared her throat. ‘I have seen nothing to indicate Mr Darcy’s dissatisfaction with the arrangement—and nor have you, Lizzy.’
Looking away from her sister’s assessing gaze, Elizabeth was thankful the hot water arrived at that moment, and they both turned their attention to making the tea before Jane left the room with a cup for Mr Bennet.
Elizabeth picked up her own cup and returned to her seat, staring once more into the fire. It felt as though they were spending far too much time in company with one Darcy or the other, and they had only been returned to Derbyshire a week.
~o0o~
Though the storm abated soon after dusk fell, Elizabeth passed a restless night. Every time the lids fell over her weary eyes, the face of a certain gentlemen appeared before her. Why could she not rid her mind of him?
Pummelling her pillows for what felt like the hundredth time, Elizabeth fell back upon them and stared at the canopy above her. Why was the man haunting her so?
No answer was forthcoming, and she continued to toss and turn until the first fingers of dawn tapped tentatively upon her closed shutte
rs, urging her to rise and face the new day.
Once washed and dressed, Elizabeth hurried to her sister’s room, only to find Jane full of the cold which had been threatening the previous day.
‘I am sorry, Lizzy,’ Jane croaked as her sister came to sit on the bed beside her. ‘I will not be able to join you on the walk with Miss Darcy and the twins today.’
Elizabeth placed a hand upon Jane’s forehead. She was not overly warm, but she offered her a cold compress all the same. ‘I shall arrange for Cook to prepare some healing broth.’ She leaned and placed a kiss on Jane’s flushed cheek and left the room, keen upon her errand.
The morning passed quickly, what with Elizabeth’s attentions to her sister and a call from another family in the district, and before she knew it, it was time to ready herself for her walk with the young ladies at Pemberley.
Trying not to speculate upon whether or not Mr Darcy might make an appearance, Elizabeth dressed carefully and, without her sister’s aid, enlisted the help of Alice to fasten her hair.
With Jane settled comfortably in her room, Elizabeth tapped on the library door to say farewell to her father and turned to leave. There was a further calling card on the side table already, along with a heavily embossed envelope, and she studied it with interest before letting herself out of the front door.
It was a fine day, benign after the previous day’s storm, and Elizabeth walked along the lane towards Pemberley, hopping over fallen branches and turning her face up to the sun whenever the trees parted sufficiently to allow its presence. Before she knew it, she was approaching the house, and she slowed to a halt to stare at the grand entrance.
It felt presumptuous to enter through the front door, even though she would not be expected to do otherwise. She walked slowly up the stone steps but before she could reach for the imposing door knocker, the door was swung aside by a footman and Mrs Reynolds, the housekeeper, bore down upon her with a welcoming smile.
Chapter Twenty-Five
‘Do come in, Miss Bennet.’
‘Good afternoon, Mrs Reynolds.’
‘Miss Darcy asked me to keep an eye out for you; she is in the music room.’
‘Are the Miss Bingleys with her?’
‘No—Mrs Annesley has encouraged them to prepare for their walk; she is with them at present.’
Elizabeth followed the lady across the marble floor and along a wide and elegantly furnished hallway, one she had not walked before, pushing aside any thought as to where the master of the house might be. The sound of piano music hung in the air as they approached a door at the far end, and pushing it aside, Mrs Reynolds invited Elizabeth to enter.
Georgiana was seated at the instrument, her eyes closed as she drew such beautiful notes from it Elizabeth felt a tear prick her eye. She had no desire to intrude upon the moment, but Mrs Reynolds clearly had no compunction, walking over and touching Georgiana’s shoulder gently.
‘Miss Bennet is here, Miss Georgiana.’
With a start, Georgiana’s eyes flew open and her hands fell back into her lap. Then, she smiled widely at Elizabeth.
‘Thank you, Mrs Reynolds!’ The lady left the room and Georgiana got to her feet and hurried over to greet her guest.
‘Forgive me for intruding, Miss Darcy. You play so beautifully.’ Elizabeth’s voice was wistful. Her playing was more than adequate, and she applied herself with enthusiasm and pleasure to it, but it was nothing to the notes she had heard drawn from the splendid instrument before them.
Georgiana led Elizabeth back to the entrance hall where a footman handed the former a Spencer and bonnet, and soon Mrs Annesley returned with Olivia and Viola in tow, both loudly exclaiming their pleasure in the planned walk amidst their disappointment over Jane’s absence.
‘Poor Miss Bennet!’ Viola shook her head in sympathy. ‘How tiresome to be unable to go out on such a fine day.’
‘The storm kept us prisoner in the house yesterday, and we found it most vexing.’ Olivia was walking backwards along the gravel sweep as they headed towards a footpath leading away from the house.
Viola turned about too, and they looped arms, both walking backwards now. ‘There was a fair amount of damage hereabouts, Miss Bennet; did you hear of it?’
Elizabeth shook her head. ‘I trust no one was hurt?’
‘Thankfully not.’ Georgiana raised a hand towards the woodland stretching across a rising bank ahead of them. ‘Some trees fell during the night, but that is all that has been seen so far.’
‘Except for the ghost!’ Viola’s eyes widened dramatically, and Olivia nodded her head vigorously as they both stopped.
‘A ghost?’ Elizabeth exchanged an amused look with Georgiana. ‘How exciting! Do share.’
They all fell into step together, with each of the twins desperate to be the first to speak.
‘We saw it, from our chamber window!’
‘It seemed to float, up high in the treetops!’
‘Shimmering and... and... dancing!’
‘Dancing?’ Elizabeth could not help but laugh. ‘Then it does not sound as though this spirit would have done you harm.’
Georgiana smiled. ‘The girls long for adventure, Miss Bennet; I am thankful Pemberley delivered some amusement last night.’
The twins beamed, and Elizabeth laughed. Then, as they continued to where the path divided, Olivia begged Georgiana to choose their direction, and they set off in good spirits towards one of the lakes.
‘My brother has been gone most of the day. He has been with his steward, inspecting the estate, and Mr Bingley accompanies him.’
‘I trust they will find nothing untoward beyond fallen trees. It was a fierce storm indeed.’ Was she disappointed?
Not wishing to indulge such a notion, Elizabeth encouraged Georgiana to speak of music as they walked, and she found herself drawn to the young lady as she expressed quite how much it meant to her—how learning to play an instrument had been of vast importance to her family, though she only knew of her mother’s love of it by account. They were deep in discussion upon the subject when a voice hailed them from up ahead.
‘Georgiana! Look; we have found a bird’s nest!’ Viola beckoned them from where Olivia could be seen kneeling on the ground beneath a large tree. ‘Do hurry! It must have fallen from this very tree; there are three small eggs, do you see?’
After a thorough inspection, it was decided—despite the twins insisting they were more than capable of scaling the tree to return the nest to its lofty perch—to take it to the gardener’s cottage. Georgiana assured the young girls Pickering and his wife were well practised in caring for the park’s wildlife and, with that in mind, they set off in procession. The twins led the way, their precious cargo held carefully by Olivia who, as the eldest by a few minutes, had been given the honour.
‘I find Miss Olivia and Miss Viola quite delightful.’ Elizabeth watched them as they broke into their usual skip and then remembered what they carried and assumed a more stately progress. Smiling, she turned to Georgiana. ‘It is strange, is it not, the things we miss? When all five of us were at home, there never seemed a moment’s peace; yet now, I find myself disliking the quietness and wishing for disturbance.’
Georgiana smiled too. ‘I am enjoying their visit immensely. They have such friendly and open manners. Though I too long for a moment of peace sometimes, I shall miss them greatly when they are gone on to school.’ Then, she sighed. ‘We are soon to expect a party of other guests, and I wish we were not.’
‘Come now Miss Darcy. Surely the company will be a blessing? It is a vast house to be alone in. There will no doubt be young people as part of the party?’
‘The Hansen girls – Lucy and Matilda, eighteen and nineteen respectively.’ Georgiana sounded unenthusiastic, and Elizabeth smiled encouragingly.
‘There! That will be good company for you, will it not?’
‘I wish it were so, but Lucy is a silly girl; we have nothing in common.’
‘And Matilda?’
Elizabeth could not help but laugh at her companion’s glum air and countenance. ‘But why?’
Georgiana looked a little contrite. ‘I should not speak so, for I barely know her.’
‘Oh dear! You object to someone you know but little of? I cannot believe it of you, Miss Darcy.’
‘I believe she is destined to be my sister, and it is sufficient to cause me... it does not bring me happiness.’
Unexpected though such intelligence was, Elizabeth tried to reassure the young lady at her side. ‘Dear Miss Darcy; why are you so concerned? A gentleman must seek a wife. It is his duty.’ So why did the thought of it make her insides clench in such a way?
They had reached the cottage now, and Georgiana explained their errand to Mrs Pickering, who took the small nest from Olivia and assured them her husband would take care of it. Looking a little crestfallen now they had handed over their find, Georgiana encouraged the twins to return to the house.
‘If you seek out Mrs Reynolds, I am certain she will have a lovely tea prepared for you in the parlour. She will be quite fascinated by your rescue of the nest and its contents.’
Viola perked up at this. ‘We do have the most delicious teas here at Pemberley.’
Georgiana smiled. ‘I am certain Pickering will not object to you visiting to see what has happened to your find, either. Perhaps you could call at the cottage on the morrow?’
‘You are always full of the most excellent notions, dear Georgiana.’ Olivia rushed forward and gave Georgiana a spontaneous hug before taking Viola’s hand as they skipped ahead in search of food and a willing audience.
Elizabeth looked at Georgiana, who was staring after the twins, her mouth slightly open. ‘Truly warm of nature, Miss Darcy; and most unlike their elder sisters.’
Smiling suddenly, Georgiana began to walk again, and Elizabeth fell into step beside her. ‘I am unused to such... informality and, as you say, warmth in the females of my acquaintance.’ Her eyes followed the twins as they entered the rear of the house. ‘If only Miss Latimer were to turn out so.’