Darcy felt some respite from his complaints as they changed horses in Bromley. As he breathed the fresh air outside the carriage, he chuckled quietly to himself upon noting that Elizabeth and the maid were still asleep. Instead of sleeping, he began to make plans for the morrow and contemplated the wedding date. Elizabeth must be consulted, but what bothered him was the likelihood of several others having an opinion or forcing the issue. Darcy allowed himself the great joy of thinking of Elizabeth ensconced at his beloved home in a matter of weeks. He did not care if he looked like a fool, smiling for seemingly no reason.
Finding the emotions churning inside him too strong, Darcy opened his eyes to see Elizabeth smiling at him in what was clearly admiration, making him beam even more. He could hear her breathing quicken and revelled in her reaction.
Deciding it best to break the increasingly intense silence, he spoke but found his voice suspiciously husky. “I believe we are nearing our destination. We have not yet determined how you will accompany me to Longbourn tomorrow.”
“My father will want reassurances, as my cousin might have already sent off a letter denouncing me.” Then dropping her voice, she added, “He has likely done the same to Sir William, and Maria lives to gossip. I am quite sure that within a matter of days, the incident shall be known in Meryton and, of course, grossly exaggerated.”
Seeing her concerned look, Darcy replied soothingly, “Perhaps we can put out a story. We enjoyed each other’s company while I was in Hertfordshire and, when we met again in Kent, fell besottedly in love with each other. It is splitting hairs, but Society may be more lenient if we declare that an engagement preceded the presumed compromise.”
She nodded in agreement but looked grave.
“I am sorry that our engagement has to begin on such a note, that innocent as my visit was, others misconstrued it. If we do not marry immediately, that will eliminate some gossip, surely.”
He looked at his hands. Gentlemen did not broach such topics with ladies. Even if they did not marry for several weeks, many would view a child born quickly into their marriage with scepticism.
“I suppose that would be for the best. I confess I am sorry that I will be missing a visit to the Lakes with my aunt and uncle.”
“When had they planned on travelling?”
“July.”
Elizabeth’s regret was quite evident and he swiftly offered, “Pemberley is not too far out of the way. We should host them, and at such a time of year, it is possible we could visit as well. We might not have much time for a bridal tour before I must return for the harvest.” Did I just promise to spend time with strangers? And to do so when I should be worshipping my beautiful bride?
Elizabeth smiled gently at his words, then looked out the carriage window and declared, “Oh, we are here! I hope they received your express. I think you shall like the Gardiners; I do indeed have some family for whom I need not blush.”
“And yet I do not mind if you do not, not least because I love your rosy hue when blushing.” Satisfied with causing her to blush again while determined not to think of other ways to give Elizabeth a heightened colour, Darcy exited the carriage to hand Elizabeth down with a small smile upon his lips.
Chapter Three
Monday, March 30, 1812
Gardiner Residence, London
The butler escorted Elizabeth and Darcy into the Gardiners’ home, where they were met by concerned, though not surprised, countenances. The express evidently had been received but appeared to have done little to alleviate the Gardiners’ anxiety over Elizabeth’s immediate removal from Hunsford.
He asked for an introduction with the utmost civility, and Elizabeth hastily complied. Darcy saw her glance at him to gauge his reactions to her relations and again when she added, “And you recall my eldest sister, Jane, of course.”
She appeared to expect him to disapprove of her relations and perhaps wondered at how he would meet with Miss Bennet.
After completing the appropriate bows and curtseys, Mrs. Gardiner said, “I hope you are not too fatigued from your journey. I have asked Cook to serve an early supper in two hours. I hope you can join us, Mr. Darcy.”
“I would be delighted. I thank you, Mrs. Gardiner.” Mrs. Gardiner then invited the party to the back parlour for light refreshments and tea.
Darcy watched as Elizabeth and Jane desperately clung to each other and seemed silently to speak volumes with their eyes. Elizabeth’s reunion with her most beloved sister reminded Darcy all the more of how grateful he was to have Elizabeth’s esteem and forgiveness. He could not, however, feel comfortable knowing his guilt in causing anyone pain, nor forgive himself for his deceit. He already planned to send a note to Bingley early the next morning. He was desperate to make matters right and could only pray that Bingley proved to be as forgiving as Elizabeth.
Determined as he was to be civil to Elizabeth’s relations, he still cautiously eyed the married couple, who were brother and sister-in-law to Mrs. Bennet. Darcy observed that although their home was not in the most fashionable district, it was of good size and well-maintained. He could easily mistake Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner for people of fashion, and Darcy surmised that Mr. Gardiner’s business must do quite well.
Darcy’s discomfort eased when he saw their conduct was everything proper, with no vulgarities that could remind him of his future mother-in-law, for no matter how much Darcy decided he could forebear Mrs. Bennet, it was a blessing to find amiable and sensible relatives. He found the Gardiners intelligent and well-bred, and soon he spoke animatedly on the topic of the Lake Poets, a favourite subject of his. Darcy hoped his efforts pleased Elizabeth, especially as he still detected some strain in her expressions.
After consuming their tea, Mr. Gardiner invited Darcy to his study. As the man had already exceeded Darcy’s expectations, he was not surprised to find a well-appointed room with tidy shelves of books, which obviously received much use, against two walls.
Mr. Gardiner’s desk faced the bookshelves, with the windows behind allowing for light to aid his reading on the occasions he was in it during the day. Between the desk and shelves were a low settee and a chair, angled towards the fireplace for warmth and light. Darcy smirked when he noted a child’s toy near an atlas on the floor. It reminded him of his youth: children should always be made to feel welcome to learn.
Darcy was decidedly nervous meeting with Mr. Gardiner in this fashion. He found it difficult to converse with strangers in the best of situations. Given the circumstances that led to their precipitous arrival, Darcy was uncertain as to his private reception by the man. Gone was his ease of the previous hour. Unconsciously, he sat rigidly, and his attempt to cover his discomfort gave him a look of hauteur.
After an unnerving amount of time, Mr. Gardiner said, “Allow me to thank you, Mr. Darcy, for conveying our niece to us and relieving her from what I assume was an intolerable situation.” His tone was neither friendly nor antagonistic but held something akin to suspicion.
Darcy civilly replied, “It was the least I could do for Miss Elizabeth.” He did not discern that his tone sounded coldly indifferent.
Mr. Gardiner gave Darcy a level look and motioned to a note on his desk. “Your express was quite vague, and you can imagine I am full of questions. Let us not hedge on the matter.”
“I admire a forthright attitude.” Assuming the plainspoken demeanour that always served well for business transactions, he said, “Very well, I will relay the events that led us to the conclusion that departing Kent immediately and journeying to Town was necessary.”
In the midst of the tale, Darcy paused. He had not considered the indelicacy of explaining how he had fallen upon Elizabeth. Memories best left for his private chambers flooded his mind and senses. Her pleasing and soft but firm body, her pert breasts right next to my eyes, the fragrance of lavender surrounding me as her strong thighs cushioned my face. My hands were so close...
Darcy cleared his throat and, resisting the urge to loosen his cravat, attem
pted to banish such thoughts. “I landed on her person.”
He glanced at Mr. Gardiner and saw a bemused expression on the man’s face, but he nevertheless continued to explain succinctly the circumstances that necessitated Elizabeth’s departure.
Mr. Gardiner knit his hands together and brought them to his face. He tapped his forefingers against his lips and seemed to consider the young man’s words. He settled for frankness again and asked, “Am I to assume that you have come to an understanding with my niece?”
“Yes, sir. She accepted my hand in marriage, and we depart tomorrow to meet with Mr. Bennet.” Darcy was unsure how much he should explain, but he could not suppress a small smile from forming at this first acknowledgement of his engagement. He was reluctant to share his private dealings with a stranger, but he did not desire Elizabeth’s family to believe he merely felt obligated to the match.
Edward Gardiner narrowed his eyes, with a more suspicious tone than before. “I infer from your description of events that you called upon Elizabeth alone, Mr. Darcy. What do you say to that?”
Darcy hung his head for a moment. When he looked up, the expression of regret in his eyes was unmistakable. “It was not my intention, Mr. Gardiner. I had believed all the ladies within the house. My cousin had often called on them at other times in a similar way. I do confess to not departing immediately upon learning of my mistake.”
“Why should you put my niece in such a position?”
Darcy shook his head and closed his eyes. The older gentleman was determined to know it all. “As soon as I thought clearly on the matter, I decided to depart. Your niece is everything proper, and I should never wish to taint her name. It did not immediately occur to me to leave because rational thought often leaves my mind while in her presence. I also confess to enjoying her sole company. I regret that I acted inappropriately, but you should know that I had every intention of asking for Miss Elizabeth’s hand during my stay in Kent before I even darkened the door to the parsonage.”
Mr. Gardiner looked at Darcy for a discerning minute, then said with compassion in his eyes, “You love her. You will care for her.”
Darcy met Mr. Gardiner’s eyes. “Yes, with all my might.”
“I suggest you argue that case before my brother Bennet tomorrow, young man.”
A footman announced supper, and before departing, Darcy arranged to speak with Mr. Gardiner and Elizabeth on a serious matter before he left for the evening.
*****
After Darcy and Mr. Gardiner left the parlour, Elizabeth insisted that she did not need to rest; she only desired the familiar comfort of Jane and the privacy of their usual bedchamber. Knowing they were both curious, she chose to explain to her dear sister and Mrs. Gardiner together the events of the day. Jane and Elizabeth huddled on the bed, while Mrs. Gardiner sat in a nearby chair.
“Oh! I do not know what to make of it all!” Elizabeth cried and shook her head vigorously.
“Lizzy, tell us how you came to be here,” Mrs. Gardiner guided.
“It is all the fault of Mr. Collins and that dreadful Lady Catherine! They were quite determined to send me off by post, without even my trunks packed.”
Jane gasped. “Lizzy, you must be mistaken. Surely they would not treat you so terribly.”
“Dear Jane, how I have missed you!” She hugged her sister closely. “But not even you shall be able to make them into something good.”
Elizabeth’s cheerfulness ended and she gravely said, “Mr. Darcy’s cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, frequently called on the parsonage. Colonel Fitzwilliam is very amiable and would seem to take great pleasure in our company. Aside from a brief call when he first arrived, we only saw Mr. Darcy at church, until last night when we dined at Rosings. He was his usual self from Hertfordshire: silent and apparently disapproving. Why he called this morning I know not.”
She paused and shook her head. She had told herself half-truths long enough and would attempt to be honest with herself and her dearest friends. With unusual timidity, she explained, “Well, actually, Mr. Darcy claims to admire me.”
She saw Jane and Mrs. Gardiner share a look that did not hold the surprise she expected. “Surely you do not mean you believed it as well, Jane!”
“I noticed he conversed most readily with you and often looked at you. You were the only one of our neighbours with whom he danced at the Netherfield Ball. And he was very attentive to you this evening.”
“It truly is distressing to hear from everybody how unperceptive I am!” Elizabeth let out an exasperated sigh. “Regardless of how it appears to any of you, I had no notion of his admiration for me. I was quite surprised when he called on the parsonage alone this morning. Mr. Collins was out, as usual, and Charlotte and Maria had gone on an errand, but Mr. Darcy stayed to visit.
“I cannot say we spoke of anything at all. At one point, he made some comment about my desire to travel and seemed to warm to the topic nicely. The very next instant, he pulled out a newspaper and ignored me to read it. We made a few more comments on the differences between Kent and Hertfordshire when he must have had enough of my company because, before I knew it, he rose and walked towards me to exit. Then he tripped on the rug and…” Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide, and her face flushed in embarrassment as she stared at her hands. She did not know how to relay the event.
She finally looked up to see Jane’s and Mrs. Gardiner’s faces full of expectation. Letting out a short breath and ignoring her heightened heart rate, she blurted out, “He tripped and was just such a distance that…my lap padded his fall… just as Mr. and Mrs. Collins, Maria, and a maid walked in!” Elizabeth blushed even deeper and surreptitiously scanned the room for a glass of water, lest she soon became overheated. She heard her companions gasp in alarm.
Summoning her courage, Elizabeth met her relations’ eyes and allowed her deep frustration to come through in her tone. “Charlotte hurried the maid and Maria out of the room but could not make Mr. Collins leave. He began squawking about with all the sense of a startled hen. He was quite determined to view the scene as though it were a planned illicit liaison in his parlour. The ridiculousness of the very idea! I had to leave the room before I lost my temper.”
Elizabeth grew silent and bowed her head. “I was certain that the gossip would ruin the Bennet name. Mr. Collins went straight away to his patroness, who is Mr. Darcy’s aunt. Mr. Darcy vowed to protect me from Lady Catherine. Then he asked for my hand in marriage, and I had no choice but to accept. Lady Catherine arrived with every intention of seeing me leave, so we left in all haste, and here we are.”
She looked up and acted as though the tale was complete. Jane’s face showed her astonishment, but Mrs. Gardiner prodded, “Elizabeth, you must be leaving out some part. Mr. Darcy had time to send an express, and it arrived nearly two hours before you.”
Staring at her hands again, for she did not desire them to see the confusion mixed with admiration on her countenance, Elizabeth explained, “Mr. Darcy believed his aunt would react thusly, as she has long desired him to marry her daughter. I had often heard her allude to a match between them, but he has denied it. At any rate, he sent off the express and arranged to have his belongings packed and his carriage prepared while I packed my trunks.”
Feeling as though she would shock her relations if her thoughts were too soft towards the man she was so accustomed to hating, she added with feigned annoyance, “He remained at the parsonage, unwilling to leave. It was rather high-handed of him.”
“High-handed! It sounds like good sense to me!” Mrs. Gardiner countered. “Tell me, what did Mr. Darcy do when Lady Catherine arrived?”
Elizabeth mumbled something into her chest, but Mrs. Gardiner demanded she look her in the eye.
“Very well, Aunt.” Attempting to mask the wonderment in her voice, she continued, “Mr. Darcy defended me gallantly. He banished Lady Catherine from his homes until she treats me with respect, and he even apologised to Charlotte for any strain in the relationship the Collinses m
ay have with Lady Catherine as a result.”
“That was very gentlemanly of him,” Mrs. Gardiner said with obvious approval in her voice. “So, are we to congratulate you then?”
“If you must. Yes, I am to marry Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth was surprised at the lack of resignation in her voice. She could not quite name how she felt about the situation; she neither anticipated nor dreaded it.
Jane finally spoke, the concern she felt for her sister at experiencing such a distressing day evident on her face. “Surely, Lizzy, you cannot think so poorly of him now. I never found him as deficient in the appearance of goodness as you. I am certain you shall be quite happy with him.”
Elizabeth’s façade of complacency began to unravel. “Oh, Jane! I hope you are correct! He…he…no, I do not dislike him as I did before. I can see now my prejudice blinded me after his remarks at the assembly. But he is still a proud man and used to having his way. I will not be cowed into submissiveness. I worry for our temperaments and our future.”
Mrs. Gardiner replied, “I should think you worry about the unequal affections.”
Elizabeth shot her aunt an alarmed look just as a maid called them to supper.
*****
Supper was tenser than Darcy would have preferred. Mr. Gardiner still seemed to scrutinise him, while his wife beamed at him. Miss Bennet appeared as reserved as he had known her to be in Hertfordshire. He did not know what Elizabeth had said to the ladies, but he saw no sign of animosity from either of them. Elizabeth focused on her plate as much as possible. He knew she felt exhausted from the day and likely embarrassed by the circumstances of their arrival. Besides all this, he knew she would never be brazen upon their engagement. He had expected to see more happiness in her eyes, but then she seldom looked his way.
After the hurried meal, Mr. Gardiner invited his niece and Darcy to his study. The others sat, but Darcy declined. He had a penchant for pacing when agitated and nervous. The information he needed to impart certainly excited both feelings. He also declined the drink offered him, preferring not to dull his senses. Thoughts of Wickham, especially of him recommending himself to Elizabeth in any fashion, were very unsettling to Darcy.
Compromising Mr. Darcy Page 4