“Forgive me,” he said haltingly,“are your parents in health?”
She half smiled,“They are, Sir.Thank you for asking.”
The start of the smile sent his mind spinning with hope for some renewal of their acquaintance. She continued to be embarrassed, but no disdain showed in her being.
“And your sisters are in health, too?”
“They were, Sir, when we left Longbourn,” her voice had more volume.
“How long have you been in Derbyshire?” he must keep her talking; Darcy could not walk away from her.
“Two days,” she stumbled over the words.
“Your parents are in health?” he chuckled at his own discomposure. “Where are you staying?” Oh, God, should he have said that?
“In Lambton—at the Royal Crown,” her uneasiness still remained. She lifted her eyes briefly to him, evidently still expecting him to take some sort of revenge for their last meeting, but Darcy’s mind was more pleasantly engaged. “We should not have disturbed your privacy, Mr. Darcy,” she faltered. “I can only offer my apologies.”
“Miss Elizabeth,” he stammered through the words, “you are always welcome at Pemberley.” He wanted to say more, but he realized how his unkempt appearance must betray the sedateness he hoped to present. “Please enjoy the grounds at your leisure.” With that, he made his bow and left her standing on the lawn.
He walked away quickly knowing once he propelled himself forward, he could not stop. If he paused even briefly, Darcy thought his legs would buckle under him. Elizabeth was here at Pemberley. If Hurst’s carriage had not broken down, Darcy would still be in a village twenty miles away keeping Caroline Bingley company. Instead, he had a chance, although slim it may be, to show Elizabeth Bennet he learned from her accusations; Darcy was not the same man she refused at Hunsford.
Entering Pemberley, he took the staircase two steps at a time. He knew not what he would do, but he knew he must engage Elizabeth again before she left the grounds. Servants rushed about as he barked out orders for fresh water to be brought up to his dressing area immediately. He luckily sent Henry ahead last evening with some of the trunks to lighten the load of both coaches. He prayed as he ascended the stairs he would find Henry and fresh clothing awaiting him in his chambers.
At the top of the stairs, Darcy nearly ran into Mrs. Reynolds. “Mr. Darcy,” she exclaimed.“You were not expected.”
He did not acknowledge her remark, but he made his inquiry. “Mrs. Reynolds, the visitors—were they treated well?”
“Yes, Sir, I showed them the house myself.”
“Send word to the gardener to delay their leaving as long as possible. I wish to greet them properly,” he rushed by her.
“The young lady said she was an acquaintance,” the housekeeper added as he started toward his chambers.
Darcy stopped dead in his tracks. “Did she say anything else, Mrs. Reynolds? I mean—about me?”
“She agreed she found you to be handsome,” she looked at the young master questionably. His contrary behavior to expectations made her unsure whether what she said was appropriate.“And she spent some time looking at your portrait in the gallery, returning to it several times. I thought that was unusual. Should I have not shared those areas with her party?”
Darcy’s smile unmistakably showed his happiness. “Mrs. Reynolds, the young lady should always be welcomed at Pemberley.” Then he turned and rushed off to his chambers.
“Henry, I am glad you are here,” he called to his valet.
“Mr. Darcy,” the man hesitated,“what do you desire, Sir?”
“I want fresh clothes, Henry.There are visitors on the grounds I want to greet properly. I must be quick. They are acquaintances from my time in Hertfordshire.”
The man set about helping his master off with his boots as warm water was brought in for Darcy’s bath. “The water is only warm, Sir—not hot.”
“It will do, Henry. Please hurry.”
“Yes, Sir,” Henry snapped into action, and in less than half an hour, Darcy exited one of Pemberley’s side doors and headed toward the parkland. Elizabeth! Somehow Darcy must show her, as if she did not already know, the power she had over him. He was affectionately attached to her and would never see a woman whom he thought her equal, but he must not rush things. However, he had but a limited time; she may not be in Lambton long. One of the gardener’s apprentices pointed the way the visitors took, and Darcy set out toward an abrupt rise. The apprentice apprised him of the whereabouts of the visitors; they entered the woods and ascended some of the higher ground and neared part of the stream. Darcy knew the gardener would lead them around the outskirts of the area; he would cut across the less traveled pathways to intercept them.
As he approached, he noted Elizabeth tried to compose herself; he saw the setting of her shoulders and the raising of her chin. There would be no more surprise for either of them for each had had a few moments of preparation since he left her on the lawn. His emotions felt the gamut of sensations; there was pleasure, pain, agitation, delight, and even a bit of misery. For her, it was obviously purely embarrassment—not disdain or contempt—just embarrassment at being found by him at his estate.
“Mr. Darcy,” she began, “Pemberley is delightful and charming.” Suddenly, she stopped as quickly as she began.At first, this confused Darcy, but then he saw the “horror” flash upon her face; she feared he might think her motive might be to regain his favor with praise of his home.
It amazed him to think she did not know he would give anything to be pursued by her. He assigned importance to her opinion so he asked,“Then you approve?”
Elizabeth blushed.“What type of person would not approve of such a home? It is so well situated—I never saw such an estate.”
“Your opinion is valued, Miss Elizabeth,” he said earnestly. His voice betrayed his anxiousness and the intensity he felt; yet, he maintained an elevated politeness, which seemed to confuse her. “Miss Elizabeth,” he faltered, “please excuse my manners—would you do me the honor of introducing me to the rest of your party?”
He detected a hint of a smile as she moved past him. “Mr. Darcy, may I present my aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. My sister Jane stayed with them on her recent trip to London.”
Darcy, a bit astonished, had taken the couple for people of fashion. He understood her hint of a smile; these were the same people he criticized at Hunsford. Although the folly of his earlier opinion stunned him, he did not turn away as she obviously suspected he might do. Instead, to her surprise, he began to walk with them and to converse with her uncle. Admittedly, he did not expect Mr. Gardiner to be the man of intelligence, taste, and good manners he was, and he did not expect to notice “hints” of his own father in the man’s phrasing and gestures. He discovered he enjoyed the short-lived conversation with Elizabeth’s uncle, and as they came up on the stream, Mr. Gardiner paused to observe the trout. “Mr. Gardiner, do you enjoy fishing?” he asked cordially.
“Indeed I do, Sir.”
“Then please feel free to fish the stream, or the lake, for that matter, at any time you choose. I will have my man furnish you with tackle; let me point out some of my favorite spots.” He led her uncle toward the stream and began to point out secluded alcoves for the sport. “I hope you will fish at Pemberley before you leave the area.” Darcy could feel Elizabeth’s gaze upon him; his actions a compliment to her earlier censure of his manners, he hoped she saw the changes. Curious about some water plant, Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner walked down to the brink of the river while Darcy spent his time with Mr. Gardiner, but as luck would have it, Mrs. Gardiner found Elizabeth’s arm inadequate support when they turned back toward their carriage.
Mrs. Gardiner turned to her husband for his arm, allowing Darcy the luxury of taking a position next to Elizabeth. They walked on in silence with the lady speaking first.“Mr. Darcy, again I must apologize for disturbing your privacy. Your housekeeper informed us that you would certainly not be here until
tomorrow. Indeed, before we left Bakewell, we were informed you were in London and not in Derbyshire at all. I feel horrible at your having found us here; it seems so inappropriate; my aunt had her heart set on showing me Pemberley, and I had no way of denying her that pleasure without a complicated explanation.” Neither of them wanted to openly discuss their last conversation so they talked in circles without acknowledging the obvious.
“Miss Elizabeth,” he started, “please do not stress over my finding you here. I am pleased to see you again. As I said before, business with my steward precipitated my coming forward a few hours before the rest of my party.”At this point, he hesitated, but he knew some reference to their acquaintances could not be avoided forever. “Among those who travel from London with me are several of whom you are familiar—Mr. Bingley and his sisters.”
Elizabeth lowered her eyes but gave a slight nod of the head as an acknowledgment of what he said. Darcy worried about the images of Bingley’s name besetting her.There were scenes of their time in Hunsford such as the sharing of his mother’s favorite walk, which brought them both joy, but there were also moments of pain, which affected their ease with each other even now. Yet, Darcy felt the pain softening, and he hoped for friendship and reconciliation; anything beyond that was a distant dream. They walked on, both embarrassed by the realization of their folly.
After a pause, he continued, “There is also one other person in the party who more particularly wishes to be known to you.Will you allow me, or do I ask too much, to introduce my sister to your acquaintance during your stay at Lambton?”
Although her voice came out in not much more than a whisper, Elizabeth acceded to his request, “Mr. Darcy, I would be honored to meet Miss Darcy.” Whether she realized it or not, Elizabeth agreed to be in his company again; Darcy’s happiness could barely be contained.
Silence prevailed with each of them deep in thought. Elizabeth still did not appear to be comfortable, but the tension eased.There was so much he wanted to tell her, but he simply had to find a way to extend her stay in Derbyshire so the words could all be spoken. At the moment, it was enough that he would see her again, and, finally, Georgiana would meet Elizabeth. They soon outstripped the others, and when they reached the carriage, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were nearly a quarter of a mile behind. “Would you care to step in the house, Miss Elizabeth, for some refreshments?” he offered, trying to prolong their time together.
“I am not tired, Mr. Darcy,” she started. “I hope it will not offend you if I ask we remain here and enjoy the view.”
“Not at all,” he responded, finally getting a long look in her eyes. They both wanted to talk about their relationship, but neither knew what the other was thinking; therefore, she, finally began a discourse of her travels, telling him about Matlock and Dove Dale and also of Oxford, Blenheim,Warwick, Kenelworth, and Birmingham.
Shortly, her aunt and uncle appeared. “Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner,” Darcy offered, “may I persuade you to join me in the house for some refreshments before returning to Lambton?”
“We thank you, Mr. Darcy,” her uncle began, “but my wife made arrangements for us to dine with friends in the area.”
“I was unaware of your knowing others in the area. How good it will be for you to renew acquaintances,” he said, hoping Elizabeth understood his double meaning. He chanced a quick glance and saw her suppressing a smile.
“I grew up in Lambton, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Gardiner stated, bringing his attention from her niece.
Again a bit surprised, he never showed it to his guests. “It is a delightful village.”
“I am afraid I filled Elizabeth with tales of Derbyshire before our trip. I find it to be the finest county in England,” Mrs. Gardiner beamed.
“You will find no contention on my part,” Darcy guarded his words.“Derbyshire offers the best of everything.”
Elizabeth and Mr. Gardiner chuckled at this cordial exchange. “The two of you have something in common,” Mr. Gardiner offered. When it was time for them to leave, Darcy helped the ladies into the carriage, taking the liberty to hold Elizabeth’s hand momentarily.
“Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner,” he acknowledged them with a bow. He bowed separately to their niece.“Miss Elizabeth.”
“Mr. Darcy,” she nodded to him, but her stare bolted him in place.
“I look forward to presenting my sister to you,” his voice was hoarse.
“And I to meeting her,” she mouthed as the carriage pulled away.They watched each other for a few brief fleeting seconds, and then Darcy turned and walked slowly toward the house.
Entering his home, Darcy knew he should send for Mr. Howard as he promised, but he also knew he would not be able to do so. Exhilaration overwhelmed his ability to concentrate on mundane matters right now. He entered his study, closed the door, and sank into one of the more comfortable chairs.The chaotic condition of his mind sent sensations flashing through his body; he ran his fingers through his hair and realized his hands were trembling.
Not knowing how long he sat in isolation, a light knock on the door roused Darcy. “Come,” he called, automatically adjusting his posture.
He was a bit surprised to see Mrs. Reynolds bringing him tea and biscuits; normally, she was too busy overseeing the house to serve him personally.“I thought you might enjoy some tea, Sir,” she began as she set the tray on a low table. “Would you like me to pour, Mr. Darcy?”
He acceded with a flick of his wrist. Mrs. Reynolds handed him a cup, but after he took it, she remained waiting his recognition. “Mrs. Reynolds, is there something else?”
“Mr. Darcy,” she vocally stumbled, “I hope you are not angry with my behavior with your visitors. If I offended the family in any way, I am most apologetic.”
So becharmed with the memory of Elizabeth’s being at Pemberley, for a few seconds, he did not comprehend what his housekeeper said. He looked stunned and then said,“Mrs. Reynolds, you have been a part of the Pemberley household for nearly five and twenty years; I trust you implicitly. I assume you said no more to Miss Bennet than you would to other visitors.”
“Yes, Sir, I have only praise for the Darcy family; yet, sometimes I may show too much pride in being chosen to oversee Pemberley, I fear.”
At the mention of the word “pride,” the master actually chuckled with the irony of what she said. He looked to the woman he entrusted with maintaining his household and saw the discomfort in her face.“Do not concern yourself, Mrs. Reynolds,” he said softly.“I found no offense.”
“Yes, Sir,” she said as she curtsied to leave.“Thank you, Sir.”
The woman was nearly to the door when he called to her, “Mrs. Reynolds.”
“Yes, Mr. Darcy,” she turned from the door.
“Would you come sit with me for a few minutes?” he uttered his request.“Please join me with some tea.”Although most uncharacteristic of Darcy, she consented.When she was settled in the chair directly across from him, he anxiously took a deep breath and nearly pleaded, “Would you please tell me everything said by Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner or their niece Miss Bennet? It is important I know the words and the tone they used in speaking them.” Mrs. Reynolds realized these were more than just travelers interested in the beauty of Pemberley; Mr. Darcy’s keen interest in the recitation of the household tour renewed his gratitude for her loyalty and a sense of peace.
Darcy busied himself first with checking on the delivery of the pianoforte he ordered for Georgiana.A surprise gift, it spurred him to return to Pemberley early. He also called in Mr. Howard to conduct the estate’s business and only occasionally did not focus on the task at hand. Mr. Howard repeated when the master’s attention became distracted and waited patiently when Darcy’s mind replayed the scenes of the day. With the financial books approved, Mr. Howard left Darcy alone once more. He leaned back in the chair, interlaced his fingers, and closed his eyes. Elizabeth’s staring back from the carriage filled his wonder; the words, the elation, the marvel, and the anticipation jostled for domina
nce; he felt sweet agony.
With Elizabeth only five miles away, he could not divorce himself from thoughts of the woman. He wandered into the garden and took a seat; he took off his jacket and enjoyed the late summer breeze. How he wished to know her sentiment! Could he be mistaken? Was he looking for more than was there? Elizabeth apologized for being found at Pemberley, but Darcy did not believe her disliking the place; his finding her here simply made her uncomfortable. In fact, she offered compliments on the estate. Elizabeth accepted his trepidation over mentioning Bingley; she also accepted his request to meet Georgiana. No, he did not make a mistake; Elizabeth no longer felt disdain for him, but what did she feel?
Georgiana would finally be able to meet Elizabeth; Georgiana deserved someone such as Elizabeth in her life. So many times his sister expressed a desire to meet Miss Elizabeth Bennet; now, she would be able to establish that acquaintance; the prospect overjoyed him. How often he imagined the three of them at Pemberley. Such thoughts led him to another plan. Elizabeth would not expect Georgiana to call until Thursday, but maybe he could convince his sister to call on Elizabeth tomorrow; then they could invite her party to Pemberley for dinner on Friday. Darcy wanted her to be relaxed and to enjoy Pemberley and to see him in his element as its master. Any chance of her feelings for him changing would happen at Pemberley. Encountering her outside his estate would mean having to share her attention, but at Pemberley he could shower Elizabeth with his attentions, and he cared not who saw. Mr. Gardiner confided as they walked the park today that he, his wife, and his niece would return to Longbourn soon. Darcy had only a few days before Elizabeth would be gone again.
The morning seemed to crawl by with Darcy checking the clock repeatedly, anticipating his sister’s return. When the carriages appeared, he nearly sprang from his chair, meeting the party in the courtyard. Hurst lumbered out of his coach, groaning from having to move his indolence; he turned and helped Mrs. Hurst and Caroline Bingley to alight.
Darcy's Passions Page 16