Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard

by Belinda Roberts

  Chapter 34

  Moments later, another figure in black skimmed towards her. To her horror, it was the detestable Darcy himself. He skidded to a halt before her, his taut, muscular body trapped within a black, rubbery wetsuit, and with a strange, manic look in his eye, stared at her for a full two minutes before speaking, whereupon he blurted out,

  ‘It’s no good, Lizzy. I love you deeply and desperately.’

  Now it was Lizzy’s turn to stare back with a strange, manic look in her eye. He went on.

  ‘I realise your family is odious, your mother quite hideous, and your sisters outrageous, but for some nonsensical reason, I can’t help loving you deeply and desperately. What do you have to say?’

  Lizzy’s astonishment was beyond expression. Despite her dislike of Darcy, she could not help to be a little flattered by such attentions. But then her anger rose.

  He had made it quite clear that he liked her against his better judgement. Was this a compliment or an insult, she challenged.

  ‘But even if my feelings had been favourable to you,’ she continued, growing in fury, ‘do you think I could be tempted by the man who has ruined the happiness of a beloved sister, perhaps forever? And what is more, you have reduced another, Mr Wickham, to comparative poverty, withheld advantages designed for him, and deprived him of independence which was his due.’

  Darcy grew pale.

  ‘And this is your opinion of me?’

  ‘I have no qualms in expressing my opinion. You have saved me the concern I might have felt in refusing you, if you had behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner.’

  Lizzy saw Darcy start at this and, feeling there was little more to be said, took the only course available to her and slapped him across the face. The force of her action caught Darcy off guard and he fell backwards into the water. Lizzy, not knowing what to do next, skimmed away as fast as she possibly could.

  Chapter 35

  An hour later, Lizzy, now back at Little Rosings on the Rocks, found herself restless and unable to settle at any useful occupation. Her surprise at what had just passed could not be greater. Her heart and soul were in turmoil, so she resolved to indulge in air and exercise. Slipping the wooden sailing dinghy that came with Rosings on the Rocks from its mooring, she hoisted the white mainsail and jib and set sail for the open seas.

  The breeze was strong, and white horses broke threateningly over the top of the waves as she left the safety of the estuary. But Lizzy was in no mood to be cautious. The more the spray threw itself over the bows, the more reckless she felt. Feelings of fury, insult, and humiliation lashed her as cruelly as the bite of the wind. It was only as she passed Prawle Point she became aware of another sailing boat coming up fast to her starboard. It cut suddenly across her bow.

  ‘Hey, you idiot!’ yelled Lizzy, when to her surprise, the boat tacked and drew up alongside her. It was Darcy!

  ‘Miss Elizabeth!’ he called.

  Lizzy was furious and gybed to escape him. It was a dangerous move, and she nearly capsized, but righting the boat just in time, found he had tacked and was sailing along her port side, whereupon he handed her a bottle with a screw top, within which was a letter.

  ‘Miss Elizabeth,’ he shouted above the wind and the waves. ‘I have been sailing back and forth around Prawle Point some time in the hope of meeting you. Will you do me the honour of reading that letter?’

  And with a slight bow, Darcy himself gybed and was soon out of sight.

  With no expectation of pleasure but with the strongest curiosity, Lizzy turned into the wind and allowed the sails to flap wildly whilst she tried to extricate the said letter from the bottle. It was not an easy task, as the sea was choppy and she was constantly rocked from side to side, but Lizzy persisted, and at last she had the letter freed and in her hand. Spray caused the ink to splodge in many places, but huddling over and constantly wiping water away, she endeavoured to read through the two sheets of letter paper written quite through in a very close hand.

  ‘Be not alarmed, madam, on receiving this letter.’

  Lizzy was alarmed, and being alone at sea, found herself reading out loud those phrases that struck her most:

  ‘I will not repeat my sentiments which were so disgusting to you. I write only to clarify the two offences you laid to my charge. Yes, Bingley was in love with your sister, but from my observations, I did not think she reciprocated, and this, combined with the ghastly behaviour of certain members of your family—sorry to offend you—encouraged me, as a friend, to discourage my friend. There is but one part of my conduct in the whole affair on which I do not reflect with satisfaction—I did conceal from Bingley your sister’s presence in town. If I have wounded your sister’s feelings, it was unknowingly done. As for Wickham…’

  A sudden spray made much of what followed illegible, but enough remained for Lizzy to understand the heinous behaviour of that young gentleman. Wickham had wasted money and opportunity bestowed upon him by Darcy’s generous father. When this source of money had dried up, he planned to elope with Georgiana, Darcy’s sister, his object being the young girl’s fortune! But at the last minute, Georgiana confessed the plan to her brother, whom she looked up to as a father, and Darcy foiled the elopement, saving his sister from disaster and writing to Wickham who, seeing the game was up, left immediately!

  So Wickham wanted revenge on Darcy! All along, he had tainted Darcy’s character in her eyes—in the eyes of all Salcombe society!

  The final words of Darcy’s now-soggy letter swam before her eyes.

  I will only add, God bless you.

  Fitzwilliam Darcy

  Chapter 36

  Oh! Oh! Oh! Lizzy scarcely knew what to think. She pulled in the mainsheet as if to gather her thoughts, but gybed instantly, then almost immediately went about in error and was in danger of being thrown into the waters. The little boat rocked and rolled on the tempestuous seas. She began with prejudice against his every word. How could he pretend that he was insensible to Jane’s feelings? That must be false! How could he find her family such an objection? And where was the apology? Only a hint of wrongdoing at concealing Jane’s existence in London. But hardly an apology. Yes, he was all pride and insolence.

  Lizzy went about putting the boat onto a starboard tack, heading straight out to sea. She was in no mood to return. What mood she was in she hardly knew. The sun came out and glinted over the breaking waves. The dark clouds became rimmed with silver, and the little boat struck forth intrepidly through the waters. But where Lizzy’s mind was going she could not say. After her fury but confirmation of feelings at the first part of the letter, she found the account of Wickham filled her with astonishment, apprehension, even horror. She thought back of her times with Wickham and blushed at her own forwardness, her own fondness, his impropriety—yes impropriety—at discussing Darcy’s faults so freely with her aunt, then a stranger to him. Oh! And what of Mary King? Of course, the pink-hulled speedboat. Despite the cold wind, Lizzy felt herself redden at the thought of any affection she had had with Wickham. She had been well and truly duped.

  But what then of Darcy? Perhaps… she reread the letter again. Charlotte’s words rang in her ears that Jane should not be too secretive about her affections. How she had teased her friend then, but perhaps, after all, Lottie had been right. Jane was in danger of losing the man she loved by disguising her feelings too well. As for the comments about her family—she blushed at the outrageous behaviour at the Estuary Swim. It was a ghastly exhibition. Her mind rambled on over the events of the summer since first meeting Darcy and Bingley. Each memory of each encounter caused her excruciating embarrassment and an immediate wish to expunge all recollection of her behaviour towards Darcy. Physical exertion seemed her only immediate escape. She pulled in the jib, jamming its sheet into its clamp, and heaved in the mainsheet as tightly as possible, forcing the boat to keel over, and pushing herself out on the gunnels, leaning right back over the waters to prevent capsizing. In this manner, she battled fiercely wi
th the waves, the wind, and her feelings until she felt able to return to Little Rosings on the Rocks and appear cheerful as usual.

  On her return, soaking and exhausted, she was told that earlier, Darcy had called for a few moments, apparently soaked and exhausted, then left. Sometime later, Colin had called and waited and waited for her, and eventually, with a sigh, had also left. Lizzy could only pretend to affect concern at missing him; she really rejoiced. Colin was no longer an object. She could think only of her letter.

  Chapter 37

  Darcy and Colin had left Rosings on the Rocks that afternoon, and Lizzy decided to leave Little Rosings shortly after. She had a call from Mr Bennet, begging her to return. With Jane also away, he was finding no moment of sense with the rest of the family and, fearing for his own sanity, could do with her company.

  Chapter 38

  At lunchtime Lizzy, taking Maria with her, said her good-byes to dear Lottie and thanked Mr Collins (who laboured over their leaving a great deal and without necessity) and returned by water taxi and with much relief to 3 Island Street.

  Chapter 39

  As the water taxi glided past The Ferry Inn, Lizzy’s attention was caught by screams, and turning her head towards the shore, she saw Kitty and Lydia leaning over The Ferry Inn wall, waving wildly at them. Lizzy waved back and instructed the taxi to drop them off at the inn, where she and Maria went and joined her sisters in the stone garden. Kitty and Lydia were in high spirits. On the table was a spread of mussels, oysters, and crab for the girls to enjoy as a reunion lunch.

  ‘Is it not kind of us?’ said Kitty.

  ‘And we mean to treat you,’ added Lydia, ‘only you will have to lend us the money, as we have just spent all ours in Amelia’s Attic on this gorgeous clippy art bag and this gorgeous sun hat from Joules. It doesn’t really fit me, but I thought I might as well buy it as not.’

  ‘And guess what the big news is, Lizzy!’ said Kitty.

  ‘Mary King has given Wickham the boot!’ interrupted Lydia, stealing Kitty’s thunder. ‘What do you think of that, Lizzy? Are you thrilled?’

  ‘I just think Mary King has had a lucky escape,’ said Lizzy, smiling.

  ‘Who cares about Mary King anyway?’ interjected Kitty, already losing interest in Mary King. ‘I’m starving. Let’s start!’

  The girls had a very merry lunch and walked back down Fore Street arm in arm and singing jollily until they reached 3 Island Street, where Mary was sitting, studying Advanced Physics, and whose only greeting on seeing Lizzy was ‘Shhhh.’

  Chapter 40

  Later, as Lizzy and Jane sat crabbing on Victoria Quay, Jane squeaked in surprise at news of Darcy’s attentions to Lizzy. Lizzy calmed her, but she squeaked again on hearing what a bad egg Wickham had been. She could never have thought one human being could be quite so ghastly!

  Chapter 41

  There was a scream from 3 Island Street to disturb the girls’ intimate, deep, meaningful conversation. Seconds later, Lydia came rushing down Victoria Quay, her face beaming, her eyes alight with excitement. Mrs Forster, whose husband, Colonel Forster, trained all the lifeguards, had invited her to join them at the official lifeguard summer camp at South Sands!

  ‘I’m off to stay at South Sands,’ she yelled in rapturous delight. Kitty came trawling behind her, crying, ‘It’s not fair! It’s so like not fair!’

  Lizzy was horrified. Goodness knows what mischief Lydia would get up to, running riot amongst all the red-and-yellows. ‘Father!’ she implored. ‘Lydia will embarrass the whole family and cause untold damage!’

  ‘Poor Lizzy!’ replied Mr Bennet. ‘Has your naughty little sister been upsetting your lovers? Tut! Tut! I say, the farther away she is from here the better.’

  ‘It’s not fair! It’s so like not fair!’ cried Kitty.

  Wickham, who would of course be returning to South Sands for hard lifeguard training, came to say ‘hello’ and ‘cheerio’ to Lizzy. He could not help probing her for a little info: ‘Were there any other guests while you were at Little Rosings on the Rocks?’

  ‘We had the pleasure of Mr Darcy and the delightful Colin staying at Rosings on the Rocks, both of whom we saw a great deal, and both of whom appeared only the more delightful the more one saw of them and learnt of their true natures and histories.’

  ‘I… oh… um… well, cheerio then,’ said Wickham in confusion, and he left, only tripping over his own feet so as to tumble out headfirst into Island Street.

  Chapter 42

  Lydia away, Kitty in constant tears about not being away, Mary with her eyes glazed and nose in a book, and Jane bravely trying not to be upset, Lizzy was grateful to be invited on a trip north with her uncle and aunt, during which they planned to visit Durham University. The day came for her to leave, and Mr Bennet took her up the estuary in Angelica to Kingsbridge, where she would catch the Tally Ho! bus to Totnes, and thereafter, having breakfasted in the splendid, greasy-spoon station café, take the train up to Durham, where she would meet her uncle and aunt.

  Lizzy had considered all universities with care and had still to be tempted north, but Aunt G’s glowing reports about Durham, and in particular, University College, which was situated in Durham Castle, the ancient palace of the Prince Bishops of Durham, aroused her curiosity.

  ‘The students actually live in the castle,’ Aunt G had enthused. ‘And what an historic and impressive home! Nine hundred years old and placed high on the Bailey, with Durham Cathedral just across Palace Green, and almost totally surrounded by the River Wear. And as for the little cobbled streets and ancient buildings, my dear, you will be enchanted.’

  The journey north was long but pleasantly spent in completing her racy blockbuster, texting old pals, listening to Duffy on her iPod, and dozing, and before she knew it, Lizzy was opening the door of her carriage and throwing herself into the arms of her uncle and aunt as they waited excitedly on Durham station. Without further ado, they set off for the castle.

  Chapter 43

  When at last the massive structure of Durham Castle reared into view, Lizzy’s spirits were in a flutter. Its great stone turrets rose high above the small city, only rivalling in height the spires of the adjacent medieval cathedral. The trio walked across Elvet Bridge and turned left into Saddler Street. Lizzy was glad of her stout shoes, for the cobbled streets could undoubtedly cause a twist to anyone in high heels. They turned up the Georgian passage of Owengate, and there before them, rising dramatically to the right, was Durham Castle, the flat, beautifully mown Palace Green before them and Durham Cathedral to their left. Lizzy hardly knew which way to look.

  ‘Now, my dear,’ explained Aunt G, ‘the students, of course, have not yet returned for term, but I understand that if we ask at the gatehouse, the porter might show us round the castle itself.’

  ‘Oh, I do hope so!’ breathed Lizzy, captivated.

  The little party walked down the cobbled entrance to the castle, where they enquired at the ancient gatehouse whether it would be possible to have a tour. The porter was a delightful gentleman who explained that normally students would take tours for prospective students, such a prospective student he presumed the lovely young lassie before him to be; but since the regular students were off on their holidays, traipsing round Vietnam and Goa and such places, enjoying themselves catching malaria, scabies, leprosy, and the like, he would have the great pleasure of taking the tour himself. With that, he got out a massive key that swung from a great belt round his girth, locked the gatehouse, and invited the party to follow him. The porter, who introduced himself as ‘Reynolds’, was a mine of information and an overflowing pot of enthusiasm for the place. ‘Howay, man, I’ll show you round with pleasure,’ he promised and led them down to the ancient Tunstall Chapel.

  ‘Fifteen forty this was built, pet. These days it’s packed out down here at Christmas, all lit by candles, a comforting gloom, and then the singing starts! Enough to raise the spirits of the dead by its beauty, it is! Oh, that it is!’

  Reynol
ds then led them up the winding stone stairs to the Norman Chapel, where all admired its stained-glass windows, then on they went down to the Undercroft.

  ‘Very popular, the Undie, packed out all year, this is—not surprising, being the student bar!’

  On they went into the Great Hall.

  ‘Very popular with the students, this is. It’s where they get their porridge after they’ve been out rowing on the Wear that early in the morning the mists have hardly lifted, and they come in with fingers all frozen, and blue on the nose.’

  Up they went to the Tunstall Gallery.

  ‘Very popular with the students, this is. Study bedrooms as you’ve not seen the like along here. Some of them have arrow slits for windows. Not used so much for their original purpose, of course, these days.’

  Along the Tunstall Gallery, Aunt G noticed some portraits.

  ‘Ah yes, pet,’ said Reynolds. ‘All the important folk who helped build the castle throughout the ages, starting of course with William the Conqueror. He set it all going with a little mound in 1072.’

  ‘I say! Come and look at this, Lizzy!’ Aunt G was staring at a board at the far end of the gallery. On it were a number of photographs of young men and women.