Eventually, under Elizabeth’s persuasion, Viola retrieved her sketchbook and settled quietly on a sofa, with her sister nearby, scribbling busily on her writing slope, and Georgiana offered to show Elizabeth the library. Jane declined joining them, saying she would keep the twins company, and delighted by the opportunity, Elizabeth followed Georgiana from the room. Of the gentlemen, she saw no sign.
They all met again later to dine, but there was little opportunity to speak to Mr Darcy other than in general conversation, and Elizabeth, ominously aware of the Latimers’ arrival on the following day, wondered whether her last chance to converse easily with him had passed.
In a sober mood, she took her farewell of Mr Darcy when the ladies decided to retire for the evening, and though she knew his eyes were upon her as she left the room, she realised things would be so much different going forward.
Bingley joined Darcy and his cousin for a nightcap in Darcy’s study, but thereafter, he too decided to retire, and as soon as the door closed upon him, the colonel replenished their glasses, handing Darcy his as he crossed the room.
Taking up a position by the hearth, the colonel raised his glass to his cousin. ‘Here is to a restful night, Darce.’ He knocked his drink back, placing the glass on the mantel. ‘Kympton was an unusual choice today. Did you not say you attended service there last Sunday? Was it not the turn of Edensor?’
Discomfited by his cousin’s insight, Darcy took a sip from his glass. ‘It is the Bennets’ parish.’
‘I know.’ Colonel Fitzwilliam smirked at Darcy as they both took a seat either side of the hearth. ‘And your reasoning?’
‘They are displaced enough; attending their usual church seemed appropriate in the circumstances.
The colonel eyed Darcy keenly for a moment, and he shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny.
‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing, is it not? If you had known of Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s whereabouts before you returned to Pemberley, I suspect you would never have invited the Latimers.’
Darcy leaned back in his seat, stretching his legs out in front of him.
‘There are many things I wish I had never done, Cousin. The Latimers are hardly my biggest regret.’ Darcy blew out a breath. ‘Though I am not so sure regarding inviting them. Even had I known of the lady’s whereabouts, at the time it would not have altered my expectations where she was concerned. I believed I had put it all behind me.’ For a moment, he recalled his first meeting with Elizabeth in Derbyshire. How quickly he had fallen! He looked over to his cousin who was watching him expectantly.
‘For me, the Latimers’ arrival cannot come soon enough; I can clear the air and be done with the matter.’
‘And you may then do as your heart desires.’
Could he, truly? Darcy stared at his cousin. Was that not the reason he had resisted all temptation to engage Elizabeth in private conversation throughout the day, for fear he might reveal his desire to declare himself, not only before he was entirely free to do so, but before he fully understood the lady’s heart?
‘Yet you do not seem to have made much progress with Miss Elizabeth today. Why did you not join Georgie when she was showing her the library? No one can wax more lyrical about its contents than you!’
Darcy stared into his glass. Then, he took a slug from it, relishing the feel of its sharpness as the liquid flowed down his throat. ‘I had not anticipated how difficult it would be to have her here, under this roof.’
The colonel frowned. ‘Why difficult? Is there nothing more you wish for, than to spend time with the lady?’
There was no denying it; Darcy could think of little else that gave him quite so much pleasure, despite his inability to think or speak coherently around her.
‘Darce?’
He looked up. ‘That is the rub of it, Fitzwilliam. If I did not have my entanglement with Latimer to resolve, I assure you, I would likely have attached myself to Miss Elizabeth Bennet in a most unfitting manner all day long!’
With a bark of laughter, the colonel got to his feet and waved his empty glass, but Darcy shook his head. ‘Not for me, I thank you.’
‘It will aid your slumber. You will need all your wits about you on the morrow.’
‘And that is precisely why I wish for no more.’
The colonel replenished his own glass, then returned to the seat opposite his cousin.
‘I fear it will not be as straightforward as you would wish, Darce.’
‘I may have called upon the Latimers, dined with them, more than is my usual wont, but that is hardly a declaration—nor is my standing up with their daughter. They may surmise all they wish, as may the ton, but it is the truth of the matter.’
‘I can do nothing but agree with you.’ The colonel took a slug from his glass. ‘Yet Mr Latimer is a renowned angler. He has had his bait out and his net ready for a catch ever since his daughter came out these three years since. Though you only so much as paid his line a passing interest, I believe he considers you to be ensnared—and this invitation to your home has him convinced. After all, how many guests have you ever invited to stay at Pemberley outside of your close circle?’
‘But I invited the Hansen family also, to avoid this very assumption being taken!’
‘And had you paid any attention to Miss Hansen or her sister?’
Darcy shook his head. ‘Beyond a set, no.’
‘It would perchance have been better if you had.’ The colonel leaned forward to grab the poker and gave the logs a prod.
‘How so?’
‘Hansen is less tenacious than Latimer.’
‘You think he will not give up without a fight.’
Sitting back in his seat, the colonel raised both hands and shrugged. ‘If a fight is all you get, then you will have done well. You know you can rely upon me to be your second.’
Darcy rolled his eyes. ‘I hardly think it will come to that, Cousin.’
‘No—but he will not easily forego his perceived catch, Darce.’
The feeling of uneasiness intensified, and Darcy ran a hand through his hair. ‘Why did you not say this to me before I left London?’
‘Would you have listened?’
Darcy shook his head. ‘No, I would not. I was foolish enough to believe it was what I wished for.’
Chapter Forty-Three
Elizabeth tossed her book aside in frustration and got to her feet. It seemed her concentration would be content with nothing, and she walked across to the window and peered out into the inky darkness. Jane had gone to her slumber at least an hour ago, leaving Elizabeth victim to her own thoughts, and they gave little satisfaction.
Turning her back on the darkness, she glanced at the clock on the mantel, then walked over to sink onto the bed, a frown marring her brow. Was she imagining it, or had Mr Darcy avoided her today? Perhaps ‘avoided’ was too strong a word, for he had been pleasant—friendly, even—whenever they had spoken, but he had not sought her company out once.
Nor did you seek his, whispered her conscience.
‘I see no purpose in seeking it!’ Elizabeth spoke the words aloud, and they hung in the air around her. ‘Does not his intended arrive on the morrow?’
The physical ache Elizabeth had borne in her breast these past few days intensified, and she drew in a shallow breath. She was not of a weak nature, but the urge to leave Pemberley, to flee to her aunt and uncle’s calming presence in London, was strong.
A sudden knocking upon her door surprised her, and she hurried to open it, keen not to disturb her sister in the adjacent room.
‘Miss Elizabeth! You must come!’
Olivia and Viola, clad in their nightgowns and caps, stood on the threshold almost quivering with excitement.
‘It is back!’
‘Quick, we must not delay!’
‘Wait, come in.’ Elizabeth ushered them into the room. ‘Is this your ghost?’
Viola nodded. ‘Do come, Miss Elizabeth! No one believes us!’
Recalling the
ir disappointment from the previous evening, Elizabeth smiled. ‘Let me dress; I will be but a moment.’
She turned for the dressing room, but Olivia took her arm. ‘Oh, there is no time for that! The spirit may not linger, thus we must make haste!’
Eyeing their faces, alight with anticipation, Elizabeth looked down at her nightgown and bare feet, then laughed. ‘As you wish!’ She had sought distraction, had she not, and this would most certainly suffice. She grabbed a shawl from the back of the chair, picked up a lit candleholder and followed them from the room.
~o0o~
Barely a half hour later, Elizabeth retraced her steps, her candle held aloft as she tried to recall how many corners they had turned on their way to the twins’ suite. Her first attempt was unsuccessful, and she turned back to the main landing, walking on before taking the next corner. After a few paces, she stopped again. Was this the one? She peered along the dimly lit hallway, then sighed.
‘Miss Elizabeth! What are you doing here?’
Elizabeth froze, then glanced down at her nightgown and bare feet; her mortification was complete.
Turning slowly about, she met Mr Darcy’s surprised gaze warily.
‘Olivia and Viola took me to their room to show me the famous ghost, and now I cannot find my way back! Your hallways have too much symmetry and far too many doors. How is one ever to find the right one?’
‘Come, I will show you.’ She could tell he was smiling from his voice, though his face remained in shadow. She was not blind, however, to the fact that she was hardly decently dressed. Conscious of the familiar heat stealing into her cheeks, she pulled her shawl more tightly about her shoulders and turned to walk by his side. He indicated they should turn to the right, and they entered another hallway, in Elizabeth’s eyes, identical to the last.
‘I trust the ghost was not too alarming?’
‘I shall bear it well. It was little more than a flickering light, for all I could tell, but they both insist it is a phantom of some sort.’ She smiled. ‘They have such vivid imaginations.’
They came to a halt, faced with a run of doors. ‘All the same, whatever they are seeing is no figment of fancy if you can see it also. Will you show me where you saw it?’
Elizabeth drew in a sharp breath. ‘Now, sir?’
‘Er—no. I meant on the morrow.’ Mr Darcy raised a hand. ‘Your chamber is just here, on the right.’
Elizabeth was about to thank him and make a quick retreat when suddenly a sound came drifting towards them, and they both looked back whence they had come. A flicker of lamplight from around the corner alerted them to someone’s approach, along with the distinct sound of humming. Elizabeth suppressed a small gasp. What if they should be seen? She threw the gentleman a desperate look.
‘It will be my cousin—this is the family wing.’ Mr Darcy gestured along the hallway, but it was insufficient to console Elizabeth, who stared down at her attire before raising dismayed eyes to him.
‘Do not be alarmed.’ Mr Darcy raised a finger to his lips before extinguishing his lamp and her candle, ushering Elizabeth quickly behind a heavy tapestry curtain lining the nearby wall. It concealed an alcove, and Elizabeth leaned back against the cold stone wall.
Though hidden from the colonel's sight, however, she suddenly became aware of their close proximity, so much so she could feel the fabric of Mr Darcy’s coat against her skin. She tried to ease away, but he stayed her with a hand on her arm.
‘Be still.’
How could she bear his closeness? It was utter darkness, and Elizabeth could hear his breathing, slow and steady; she tried to mirror it as the colonel walked past where they stood, still humming to himself. For a moment, he paused, and Elizabeth held her breath as the glow from the lamp filtered beneath the curtain. Then, she released it in a rush as the footsteps moved on followed by the closing of a door, which effectively silenced the colonel and extinguished the light.
Mr Darcy drew the heavy curtain aside, stepping out into the hallway again. The remaining lamps were burning low, and the light was dim.
‘Come; let me guide you.’
Conscious of his hand under her elbow through her sheer nightgown, Elizabeth was thankful when he drew her to a halt within a few paces.
‘This is your chamber.’ He spoke quietly, a vague form in the almost darkness, and she summoned a smile, though she doubted he could see it.
‘Thank you for restoring me to my room, sir; and for your protection.’
There was silence for a moment. Then, he leaned forward to open the door and as it swung open, soft light filtered out towards them.
‘You shall have it, always. Goodnight, Miss Elizabeth.’
Elizabeth stood stock still, then drew in a quick breath. Mr Darcy had turned away and was striding down the hallway, soon to be enveloped by the darkness. Raising a hand to her face, Elizabeth walked into her room and sank back against the door as it closed behind her. Was she imagining it, or had he placed a kiss upon her cheek?
~o0o~
Darcy entered his chamber, his heart pounding in his breast, thankful to find Thornton already there.
‘I wish for a bath before I retire, Thornton.’ He shrugged out of his coat and his valet hurried to take it.
‘I shall send for some hot water, sir.’
Loosening his neck cloth, Darcy shook his head. ‘No—there is no need. Cold will suffice.’
He walked over to stare at his reflection as Thornton hurried to do as he was bid. Had he just done that? Darcy closed his eyes and drew in a steadying breath. This did not auger well for a good night’s sleep!
Much as anticipated, he passed a restless night, his sleep peppered with vague dreams and his waking moments filled with pointless speculation. What had he been thinking, to make such a gesture towards Elizabeth? His cousin may have cautioned him to make better known his feelings, but was this truly how it ought to be done?
Elizabeth’s silent plea to him had been his undoing. Rarely had he seen her show vulnerability, leastways, not to him. When such a moment came, he had found himself powerless, wanting nothing else but to hold her and never let her go; to gather her into his arms and carry her to wherever she might feel safe.
Except, of course, if he had picked her up on the previous evening, she would not have felt remotely safe and would doubtless have slapped him directly, and quite rightly so. Further, in all likelihood, she would have refused to speak to him thereafter—other than to berate him for his appalling behaviour!
As Darcy opened his chamber door on Monday morning, preparing to face Elizabeth over the breakfast table, a flicker of hope touched him. It had been the lightest of touches; perchance... was there the slightest, just the smallest chance she had not noticed?
‘Morning, Darce!’
Darcy looked up as he turned to close his door.
‘Fitzwilliam.’
His cousin came to stand before him, a distinct sparkle in his eye. ‘So—how was your slumber?’
Running a hand through his hair, Darcy shrugged. ‘Decidedly lacking.’
‘Hmmph. Head not quite so clear as you had hoped, I suspect. Come, let us go down; I am famished.’
They walked along the hallway, and Darcy could not help but glance at Elizabeth’s door as they passed. Was she still in there, unwilling to come downstairs?
He paled as they neared the alcove. The heavy tapestry curtain had been tied back into place, as was the custom during the daytime. Darcy bit his lip. Perhaps Elizabeth was already in the breakfast room, pacing angrily in wait for him?
They reached the top of the staircase before the colonel spoke again.
‘I offer you my congratulations, Cousin.’
Darcy threw him a wary glance as they started down the stairs. ‘For what?’
‘Making progress with Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I feared yesterday was a wasted day, but I believe the evening was less so.’
‘What do you wish to say, Fitzwilliam?’ Clearly, his cousin’s pause beside th
e tapestry had delivered intelligence on some level or other. He glanced around the entrance hall as they reached it, thankful to find it empty. ‘And please be circumspect.’
The colonel laughed and slapped Darcy on the shoulder, propelling him steadily towards the breakfast room. ‘You have worn the same cologne for years, Darce. Besides, the lady has prettier toes than you!’
‘It is not what it might seem!’
Stopping, the colonel turned to hold his cousin’s gaze seriously for a moment. ‘You have nothing to fear from me, Darce, as well you know. There are none who comprehend you as well as I; I do not doubt you were acting the gentleman, whatever your purpose.’
Chapter Forty-Four
Darcy stared after his cousin who had continued on into the breakfast room and was greeting the occupants in his usual cheery manner. Recalling once more the kiss he had been unable to resist placing on Elizabeth’s cheek, he drew in a shallow breath. Would she consider him a gentleman in the circumstances?
Breakfast was a relatively informal meal at Pemberley, as all guests soon discovered. Large covered dishes were arranged on a long console table against one wall, along with the urn for the making of hot drinks, and seating was down to the individual’s choice. Though a footman remained in the room, he only came when summoned for assistance and beyond that, guests were left to help themselves.
With the breakfast table being circular in shape, it also removed the need for a ‘head’ of the table, and thus contributed to the relaxed feel as the party broke their fast.
When Darcy entered the room a few moments after his cousin, he was unsure if he was relieved or disappointed to find only Bingley and his sisters partaking.
He walked over to the console and poured himself a cup of tea, glancing at his cousin, who was liberally piling food upon his plate.
‘You do realise Mrs Reynolds will be offering more refreshments within a few hours from now, Cousin?’
The colonel nodded. ‘And between now and then, I shall need sustenance!’ He held his laden plate aloft. ‘I think that will suffice for now.’
A Quest for Mr Darcy Page 28