by Pamela Lynne
“I do not think so. Bingley is weak and indecisive, but he is not calculating. He insists he made a mistake and hopes to be forgiven.”
“Can you forgive him? I remember you saying that once your good opinion is lost, it is lost forever.”
Darcy shrugged. “That is certainly the case with people who do not matter much. But, it is harder with the people I am close to. How can you just stop caring for someone even after they have hurt you?”
“If one could, it would prove one’s affections to be very shallow indeed. It gives you credit that you struggle. A lesser man would cut them off from their society and think on it no more.” She lifted her head, looked into his eyes, and with much tenderness said, “But not you.”
They stood still for a few moments as Darcy enjoyed the warmth of her approval, and Elizabeth began to realize fully the compliment of this man’s affections. When they once again began moving slowly toward home, Darcy noticed an amused smirk on Elizabeth’s face.
“What are you thinking, Elizabeth?”
“Oh, I was just wondering if perhaps there was something in the punch at the ball that caused people to act so strangely in the days following. Or perhaps fairies have put us under a spell and caused us all to behave outside of our ordinary selves.”
Darcy laughed lightly then bit his lower lip and looked down. Elizabeth leaned her shoulder into his forearm and asked curiously, “What?”
He grinned as he said, “I just got an image in my head of Bingley as an ass and a moony-eyed Jane chasing him around a forest.”
Elizabeth laughed then, looking at him with a saucy smile, she said, “You are quite wicked, Mr. Darcy.”
They had made their way back to the Gardiners’ and were ascending the steps when Darcy stopped and raised her hand to his lips. His eyes did not leave hers as he said in a deep, husky tone, “You have no idea, Miss Bennet.” Then he ushered a blushing Elizabeth through the door.
Chapter Five
* * *
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner sat in the same parlor where she and Elizabeth awaited Darcy earlier that morning. They sat quietly together with him reading and her mending a shirt for her eldest son. They had been at this for some time when Mr. Gardiner noticed that his wife was agitated.
“Is there something wrong, my dear?”
“No, nothing is wrong. I just, well, I thought they would have returned by now.”
“Are you questioning your decision to relax the bounds of propriety?”
“I merely let them walk out in public unchaperoned. It is not as if I locked them in a room and let them go at it.”
“Maddy!” Mr. Gardiner cried in fake indignation. His dear wife was a genteel lady on the surface, but deep down, she possessed a bawdy attitude that would put Lydia Bennet to shame. Mr. Gardiner considered himself very fortunate to be the only one who saw that side of her.
“I did think they would be back by now,” she said absentmindedly.
Just then, the parlor door opened, and in walked Remy, one of Mr. Gardiner’s footmen. He was tall and muscular and dressed in street clothes rather than the uniform of a footman. He said not a word, just looked at Mr. Gardiner and bowed. In response, Mr. Gardiner gave a slight nod of his head, and Remy turned and left the room.
“Well, my dear, I do believe they will be here momentarily.”
“Why was Remy dressed like—” Mrs. Gardiner stopped mid-sentence as she came to a realization. “Edward! You had him follow Lizzy and Mr. Darcy.”
“Of course I did. He always goes with Lizzy when she walks.”
“But she had an escort today.”
“I am aware of that, Maddy. But unless I am mistaken, Mr. Darcy is not aware of the situation at Longbourn. What if today was the day Thomas decided to come for Lizzy? Would Mr. Darcy know not to let her go with him?” He reached over and grasped his wife’s hand. “I cannot risk losing her, Maddy. Remy will continue to watch over her until we know we can trust Mr. Darcy.”
Knowing he was right to be so cautious, Mrs. Gardiner nodded her head in agreement and continued her sewing.
********
Darcy stood in the foyer behind Elizabeth, anxious in his thoughts about how to proceed. He decided during their walk that he would ask her for courtship before he left that day. He believed they were well enough acquainted that a two-week courtship should suffice, then one week later, they could marry. Darcy’s eyes trailed down Elizabeth’s profile as she removed her bonnet and spencer. Three weeks. Twenty-one days and she would be home.
A maid appeared to take their outerwear and to let the couple know the Gardiners were awaiting them in the parlor and then quickly disappeared. Elizabeth turned to walk from the room when a nervous but gentle voice spoke.
“Elizabeth,” he said hoarsely as he reached for her hands. She turned and looked at him, her eyes sparkling with something he did not have a name for, nor could he truly describe. It was something unique to her, and when she turned that look in his direction, words completely failed him.
Instead of speaking of love and commitment as he planned, he leaned in and placed a feather-light kiss on her lips. Bringing his head back only slightly, he looked to gage her reaction. She seemed surprised, but her shy smile told him his attentions were not unwelcome.
He brought his hands up and placed them on her neck, his thumbs tracing the lines of her face. Once again, he lowered his lips to hers, this time applying a bit more pressure and stroking her mouth gently with his own. It took only a moment for her to learn how to move with him in the delicious rhythm he had set. She put her palms on his chest and leaned forward as his hands left her neck to circle around her shoulders. They continued with their ministrations far longer than they should while standing in her uncle’s foyer, but not nearly long enough for them to feel satisfied.
He finally pulled his lips from hers and rested his cheek on her head. He drew a deep breath and pulled her closer as he said, “Forgive me, Elizabeth. I intended only to ask you for courtship, not kiss you. You were so close and looking upon me with such warmth that I could not help myself.”
Elizabeth leaned away from his chest and smiled. “It is good then that I happily accept both your kisses and your courtship, Mr. Darcy.”
The smile he gave her in return was enough to take her breath away. She could not resist the urge to reach up to his face and touch the dimples that framed his beautiful smile.
“I had no idea you had those.”
He chuckled then gave her another gentle, quick kiss. “I have a feeling I will be showing them more often while in your enchanting company. Come, my beautiful girl. I must speak to your uncle.” Still smiling, Elizabeth took his arm and led him to the parlor.
********
Darcy took tea with Elizabeth and the Gardiners and was once again surprised by the elegance and good manners the couple presented. He had been in the company of tradesmen very little, and his impression had been that they were much more like Mrs. Bennet than Mrs. Gardiner. It was not lost on him that the Gardiners were in a large part responsible for the wonderful woman now sitting next to him. Elizabeth would never let her association with them to be broken. He could not rejoice in the inferiority of the connection, but he would not allow it to be a deterrent to their courtship.
Mr. Gardiner let his wife and niece carry most of the conversation while he observed Darcy. He was civil but quiet and reserved. He spoke little but was genuinely interested in everything Elizabeth said. He was anxious to speak to the young man alone and was relieved when Darcy finally spoke.
“Mr. Gardiner, may I have a moment of your time, sir?”
“Of course, Mr. Darcy. Let us go to my study. Please excuse us, ladies”
Mr. Gardiner led Darcy down the hall into a room that reeked of masculinity. The walls were paneled with dark wood and thick paisley drapes lined the large window in the back of the room that showed a view of the house next door. Furniture was sparse with only a desk and a few leather chairs surrounding it and a bookc
ase lining the wall to the left. The room smelled of cigars and gave the impression that this was a place for business, not pleasure.
Mr. Gardiner made a motion for Darcy to sit in one of the chairs while he went to the bookcase, which also held several decanters. He looked to Mr. Darcy questioningly while holding up brandy.
“Yes, please,” Darcy answered after he cleared his throat.
Mr. Gardiner poured two glasses and brought them back around to the desk. He handed one to Darcy and then sat on the edge of the desk facing him. He slowly brought his glass to his mouth and sipped the fine concoction that it contained. All the while, his eyes did not leave Darcy. Bringing the glass down, he tilted his head and waved his hand toward the gentleman. “Mr. Darcy?”
Darcy shifted in his seat, feeling uncomfortable beneath Mr. Gardiner’s unwavering glare. He swiftly downed the contents of his glass and cleared his throat again.
“Mr. Gardiner, I would like your permission to court Miss Bennet formally.” Darcy blurted out less than gracefully. He was unaccountably nervous sitting before Elizabeth’s uncle.
“Oh? Has Lizzy accepted your offer?”
“Yes, sir, she has.”
“Mmm,” Mr. Gardiner replied while studying his brandy. “And how do you see this courtship progressing, Mr. Darcy?”
This time Darcy’s voice did not falter as he looked straight at Mr. Gardiner and stated confidently, “To the altar, sir.”
“What is it that you have to offer my niece, Mr. Darcy? And before you start listing your income and assets, know that there is little you can buy for her that I cannot. And I believe your connections, as they are, would likely bring Lizzy more grief than happiness. Has she met the Fitzwilliams?”
Darcy wondered how the tradesman knew his family, but decided it was not the time to ask.
“No, sir, she has not. But if she can manage to live twenty years in the same house as your sister and maintain her sanity, I believe she can handle my uncle just fine.” Darcy realized too late how that statement probably sounded. To his great relief, Mr. Gardiner laughed.
“Fanny would be pleased to know she prepared Lizzy so well for the higher circles. I ask you again, sir, what do you have to offer my niece? Money and connections mean very little to her.”
Darcy stood and started pacing. The movement served to calm him. He would not be intimidated into misspeaking again, not when so much was at stake. When his thoughts were gathered, he came to a stop behind the chair he had vacated.
“Mr. Gardiner, Pemberley, my estate, is one of the largest in the country. What we produce provides Derbyshire with most of its wheat and fruit and a good bit of its meat as well. The manor house is almost entirely self-sufficient, making use of what our tenants produce. We also employ a staff of over a hundred people. I, of course, have a home here in town and an estate in Scotland that is currently run by a steward. As my wife, Miss Bennet will be responsible for these homes and the people who depend on them for their livelihood. She will finally have an outlet for her intelligence and talents.
“While it seems that my family does not impress you, sir, you should also know that I have a sister who is but sixteen. Miss Bennet has just lost four sisters, but the one she will gain is kind and honest and would never purposely hurt her. Her compassion and sisterly devotion will not go to waste.”
Darcy saw in the man’s face that he was waiting for more, so he sat back down and matched that unwavering glare.
“I love her. The biggest mistake I ever made was leaving Hertfordshire without her. God has granted me a second chance, and I will not leave her behind again.”
Mr. Gardiner relaxed his shoulders and nodded his head. He stood and, patting Darcy on the shoulder, his voice changed from that of fierce protector to concerned father.
“That is good to hear, son. I am afraid, however, that when the time comes, I will not be able to give you permission to marry her.”
Darcy’s face grew pale then flushed with anger as he stood and once again began to pace the room.
“Is this the only answer I am to expect?”
“Calm yourself, Mr. Darcy. I am not refusing your request for courtship. As long as Lizzy lives here, you are welcome to call on her, and you may escort her wherever she pleases, as long as you have a proper chaperone. However, her father has not given me permission to act on his behalf. He sees her time here merely as a holiday and believes she will eventually come to her senses and go home.”
“He still expects her to marry Collins, then?”
“Yes, and he will come for her eventually. I am rather surprised he has not already.”
“And is it absolutely certain that she is safe here? What has been done to protect her?”
Mr. Gardiner walked to the back of the room and pulled the chord to alert his footman. “The staff has been instructed not to let anyone with the name ‘Bennet’ or ‘Collins’ enter unless I am home. Lizzy never leaves the house without a footman following her.”
“I did not see anyone with her yesterday or today.”
Mr. Gardiner nodded once. “He was there.”
Just then Remy came through the door and bowed to his employer.
“Remy here is in charge of watching Lizzy whenever she leaves the house. He is familiar with both Thomas and Collins and knows how to react if either of them ever approach her. Remy, this is Mr. Darcy.”
The burley footman looked at Darcy with a disapproving scowl. He witnessed the liberties the man in front of him had taken with his charge over the past two days, and he was not pleased.
Mr. Gardiner continued, “He will be spending quite a bit of time with Lizzy in the coming weeks. When he is with her, you may attend to other duties.”
The footman was not happy with the situation, but gave an obedient “Yes, sir,” and left the room. Darcy watched him leave then turned back to Mr. Gardiner. “He does not speak much, does he?”
“He does not have to,” Mr. Gardiner replied dryly.
“I will go to Longbourn and speak to Mr. Bennet. Surely, once he sees there is a better option for Elizabeth, he will change his mind.”
“I do not believe so, Mr. Darcy. I think he has had this plan in place for a long time, which is why he put Lizzy in charge of much of the estate’s management. For him, it is not only about securing the future for his wife and daughters, but also maintaining the Bennet bloodline at Longbourn.”
“He has four other daughters who could provide that bloodline.”
“Lizzy is the one who was raised as the son he never had. She is the one he has chosen to be his heir.” Mr. Gardiner sighed and ran his hand over his forehead. “There is another piece to this situation that bothers me. I have known Thomas for many years, even before he met Fanny. He has always been rather indifferent with most areas of his life. He never seemed to worry about anything. When I spoke to him the day we collected Lizzy, his countenance was almost wild, and his eyes held something I can only describe as desperation. It has been my experience that desperate men can be very dangerous.”
“Does Elizabeth know any of this?”
“No. She has been so sad these past two months. I did not want to add fear to her burdens.”
“We must tell her. She would be displeased to know we were discussing her future without her involvement. What are our options?”
“The way I see it, you have two. The first being that you wait until she comes of age on the 30th of March.”
“That is two months from now!” Darcy sat in his chair, seemingly dejected. Mr. Gardiner was slightly amused at the sight. Darcy had the look of a child who was promised a sweet only to have it taken from him before it could be devoured.
“I take it you had a shorter timeframe in mind?”
“I was hoping for three weeks.”
“Well, that cannot happen unless you decide on option number two. I would only suggest this if there were no other choice, but you could always make for Scotland.”
The hint of elopement made Darcy t
hink of Georgiana. He would not take the path of George Wickham, even if his own intentions were honorable. He shook his head and firmly said, “No.”
Mr. Gardiner raised an eyebrow, quietly waiting for Darcy to explain.
“She deserves better than a secretive nighttime flight to a blacksmith’s shop. Nor will I hide my affection for her. Disguise of every sort is my abhorrence. I will court her openly and speak of my intentions to anybody who asks. If Mr. Bennet comes to claim her, then he will have a fight on his hands, and it is one I do not plan to lose.”
Mr. Gardiner smiled widely at the gentleman’s declarations. “Good, good. I am happy to have an ally in this.” He extended his hand to Darcy, which he took enthusiastically.
“You do indeed, sir.”
“Excellent. Shall we go find the ladies then?”
They exited the room and entered the hallway where Darcy saw the footman standing guard. A thought entered his head, and he asked Mr. Gardiner, “Elizabeth told me you went to Hertfordshire to deal with Mr. Wickham?”
Mr. Gardiner nodded.
“He is an acquaintance of long standing with my family, but we are no longer friends. May I ask how you dealt with him?”
“He was handled and is no longer a threat to any of my nieces. That is all that needs to be said on the subject.” The tone of Mr. Gardiner’s voice told Darcy he should leave it alone, but he had one more question.
“Did Remy go with you to Hertfordshire?”
“Yes.”
Darcy looked toward the menacing footman and wondered what fate befell Wickham at the hands of Elizabeth’s fearsome protector. Once again, he thought it best not to ask.
Chapter Six
* * *
Georgiana Darcy had become a very beautiful woman. She carried the Darcy height well, like her brother, but the rest of her was all Fitzwilliam. Her golden blonde tresses and deep-blue eyes rested on top of a womanly and graceful figure. She was almost the exact image of her mother and was very striking. Georgiana, however, saw none of that. When she looked in the mirror, all she saw was a stupid little girl who had almost ruined herself and her family by accepting the attentions of George Wickham.