“Elizabeth,” he said. He glanced at Wickham but did not acknowledge him in any other way. “Your father said you had walked to Meryton, so I hoped to find you.” He offered her his arm in a proprietary manner. Though a little offended by his high-handedness, Elizabeth would not shame him in front of Wickham. She took it and threw Wickham an apologetic look as Darcy led her away.
“I did not expect you so early,” she said as they walked by the river. Wickham had gone to join Kitty and Lydia and they both at once abandoned Denny to hang about him.
“I did not mean to come this early, but I was not alone. Bingley joined me.”
Elizabeth’s breath hitched, and she tried not to look too eager.
“Did he? Well, I am only sorry I missed him.”
Had Jane been home? How had they met with one another?
“He is sorry too. But when I told him I would go in search of you, he bid me tell you the news.”
Elizabeth’s mind flew at once to the possibility that Bingley had come to his senses and proposed to Jane. She looked at Darcy with such eagerness he smiled.
“He is to throw a ball at Netherfield to celebrate our engagement. Bingley does not do things by halves. I hope you and your family are excited about it.”
“I am sure we shall be. It is very kind of him.” She paused and with difficulty managed to keep a mischievous smile from her lips. “May I ask how Miss Bingley received the news of our engagement?”
Darcy took a moment to collect his thoughts. He recalled the whiteness of Miss Bingley’s face and the outrage in her eyes when Bingley informed her that Darcy was to marry Elizabeth Bennet. Since she had come to Netherfield, she could not say Elizabeth’s name without looking as though she had eaten something unsavoury. But he was too much of a gentleman to confess as much.
“The news greatly surprised her,” he said carefully. “She did not expect it at all.”
“I am sure she must have been astonished. She saw how we spoke to one another when we stayed at Netherfield. I am sure she thought she had never seen two people less inclined to marry.”
Darcy hesitated. He seemed to struggle with some thought. Finally, he said, “In fact, I might say it’s the opposite. I am sure out of all the people who have heard our news Miss Bingley has less reason to be surprised than anyone.”
“Oh?” Elizabeth found that hard to believe. She had seen how Miss Bingley fawned about Darcy. The lady made her contempt for the Bennets all too obvious. She would never have thought her beloved Mr Darcy would stoop to marry a woman of Elizabeth’s background.
“Yes, well, you see— “ A colour stained Darcy’s neck above his cravat. “Miss Bingley knew of my admiration for you. I mentioned it to her more than once although I had cause to regret it afterwards.”
“Your admiration for me?” Elizabeth’s eyes were wide.
Darcy frowned. “You did not know of it? I sometimes worried I was making it too obvious.”
Elizabeth laughed although her colour was high. “You might think you made yourself obvious, sir, but last winter when anyone looked at you, all they saw was a grave face that seemed always displeased. I cannot tell you how astonished I am to hear you say this. Are you sure you mean it? You do not speak thus to convince yourself of it now we are to marry?”
“Are you telling me I do not know what I felt?” said Darcy. His expression was indignant, but there was a smile about his lips as he spoke. “Do you suppose me as great a blockhead as all that? What do you deserve?”
“I deserve to be told the truth if you please?” Elizabeth smiled up at him, shy but pleased.
Darcy paused. The truth? All of it? He looked at her shining eyes. The truth of how he felt was at the tip of his tongue. But the thought of saying it to her, the possibility of seeing the apprehension - perhaps even the distaste on her face was too much for him to endure.
No, he would not say it to her just yet. They had grown closer in recent days, but he could not be sure if it was because Elizabeth was developing feelings for him, or whether it was simply her resilience and playful nature at work to help her make the best of the situation.
But he could tell her something to make her smile in that adorably shy way, so different from her usual self-assured manner.
“The truth is that I grew to admire you the more time I spent with you. I enjoyed your company, and I looked forward to our conversations. I must confess, I also took great delight in looking at you. In an unguarded moment, I spoke to Miss Bingley of my admiration for your fine eyes, and I did not hear the end of it afterwards. She took great pleasure in anticipating our supposed marriage.”
“Well.” Elizabeth was in a flutter of pleasure. “I had no idea. I thought you found me impertinent, and I had no notion you found me pleasing to look upon.”
“Did you really not realise it? I thought I was making a fool of myself. I am sure you cannot have failed to notice how many times I sat near you at Rosings Park and Hunsford Lodge. I always looked forward to seeing you.”
“Well, you cannot blame me for not realising. You did not speak very much.”
“It is a fault of mine. I am not always at ease; something you scolded me on before when you said it was my fault because I would not practice.”
“Yes, I have.” Elizabeth paused. “And I would like to speak with you on it again, if I may.”
Darcy nodded.
“I would like you to attempt to get to know my family,” she said. “I know what you think of them. And in truth, I cannot argue with you although I wish I could. But they are still my family.” She paused as a distasteful thought struck her. “I hope you will not forbid me from having them in my life after we are married?”
“Of course not.” Darcy was so offended by the question he almost snapped his response. “I would never cut my wife off from her family. I hope you do not really think me capable of such cruelty, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth did not know what he was capable of. He had shown himself to be pleasant, kind, brave and generous. He was even playful and funny when he forgot his pride and let his guard down.
But she could not forget his behaviour to Wickham. He was capable of cruelty, was he not? And yet it did not line up with what she had seen of his character. He appeared far too honourable to mistreat a man in such a way. But would Wickham lie? Perhaps there had been a misunderstanding between them, and both men had honest but inaccurate perceptions of how the matter came about. She did not know.
“I do not believe you are. But consider my point of view. You do not care for my family and it pains me to see it. If you were to forbid me, there is nothing I could do about it. Marriage is a great leap of faith for a woman.”
Darcy walked on again. “Not for all women,” he said, thinking of Miss Bingley. She would give up everything she owned to marry a wealthy, high-standing man and she would not think twice about it. “Forgive me. Yes, I cannot deny you have good reason to fear, and I will respect it. But you need not worry. I would no more suffer having you cut off from your family than I could endure a husband of Georgiana’s cutting her off from me. Your family will be in our lives as much as you choose.”
Elizabeth smiled though there was still a tension between them. “Thank you, Darcy. And will you attempt to get to know them?”
“I will.”
Chapter 22
Darcy knew where he would find Wickham. At the gambling table of the Royal Oak inn where he would run up massive debts he had no intention of honouring. The man might live to be one hundred years of age, and he would never change.
The occupants of the table looked up in surprise to see the grand Mr Darcy in such a seedy place. Wickham covered his astonishment and gave him that lazy, insolent grin Darcy despised.
“Well, if it isn’t my dearest old friend. Sit down and play a hand with me for old time’s sake.”
“I wish to speak with you, Wickham,” said Darcy coldly.
Wickham shrugged. “I am afraid I am occupied at present, Darce. I am on a w
inning streak here, and I have no intention of interrupting it.”
Darcy strode around the table and saw Wickham’s hand before he could try to hide it. He saw the marked cards and flashed his old enemy a smile.
“Do I have to ask you again?” he said smoothly.
Wickham’s face whitened with fury, but he had no choice. If Darcy exposed his cheating, what these men would do to him was far worse than whatever Darcy wished to speak to him about.
He followed Darcy out to the courtyard, noting with envy how everyone gave way to him. Darcy deserved none of this. What curse of fate had it been that both men should be born within days and yards of one another, but one should have everything while the other had to scrimp his way through the world? It was not fair.
Wickham leaned back against the stable wall, trying to look unconcerned but his heart thudded with dread. Darcy was an excellent fighter. It still surprised Wickham he had escaped Ramsgate unscathed the previous summer. He hoped Darcy had not decided a good beating was long overdue.
“What is it?” he asked. He looked apprehensively towards the welcoming lamps of the inn. Would anyone hear him if he shouted for help? Or would they hear him and return to their card games with a shrug? He suspected which one was more likely.
“Stay away from my betrothed, George.”
Wickham looked at him, his eyebrows raised. “Your betrothed, eh? Feeling a sense of possession? I did not expect that, Darcy. Surely you are not too concerned about the woman you are forced to marry for honour’s sake.”
“You know nothing about honour so do not pretend you do. It does not matter how my engagement to Miss Bennet came about. She is to be my wife and I will not have you impose yourself and your falsehoods on another woman that I — on another woman in my family.”
Wickham caught what he almost said. How interesting.
“Miss Bennet and I are friends, Darcy. She has always liked me since we first met.”
A carriage came into the courtyard, and with more people around, Wickham became braver. “Unlike you, I might add. Oh, Miss Bennet was not at all impressed by you. That must have been a strange experience for you.”
Darcy’s jaw tightened. “I am not getting into a discussion with you. Nothing about myself and Miss Bennet’s relationship is any concern of yours. But you will not fill her head with your lies and your tales of woe.”
“Afraid she might believe me?”
Darcy took a step towards him so suddenly, Wickham shrank back against the wall, his cocksure grin fading into a craven expression.
“Do not flatter yourself, Wickham. We both know you can deceive and charm only in the short term. No one who spends much time in your company is entranced by you for long.”
Darcy turned and walked away.
Wickham sat down heavily on the edge of a horse trough. That damned Darcy. Why did he have everything Wickham wanted? Oh, Wickham did not love Elizabeth Bennet. He had never loved any woman. But she was pretty and lively, and if she had a fortune, Wickham would have no objection to taking her for a bride.
But his conversation with Darcy brought one interesting fact to his attention.
His old friend Darcy was finally in love. Wickham did not believe that dry, stiff man could ever really feel for anything but his pride. And yet he had taken the surprising turn of falling in love with a country miss with no name and no fortune. Wickham wanted to laugh out loud. The proud Darcy of Pemberley, the darling of Derbyshire, was in love at last with a woman far beneath him and who did not love him in return. How mortifying. And not only did she not love Darcy, but she certainly desired Wickham himself. Elizabeth Bennet’s heart was his for the taking if he wanted it. For the first time in his life, he could have something Darcy longed for.
Well, this was an interesting turn of events. And if he thought on it carefully, he might be in a position to avenge himself on the man who had deprived Wickham of everything he deserved.
Chapter 23
It was the day of the Netherfield ball. An evening that would celebrate Elizabeth’s engagement to Darcy. The Bennets were astonished when Darcy told them he would come to them at Longbourn and travel with them to Netherfield. To Mrs Bennet’s utter delight, he offered her and the three younger Miss Bennets the use of his carriage while he would travel in the Bennet carriage with Mr Bennet and the two oldest Miss Bennets.
“It is no trouble at all, madam,” he said a little stiffly when Mrs Bennet shrieked and thanked him again and again. “Yes, Miss Catherine, those shoe roses are pretty. I am sure you will all look very well.”
Mr Bennet caught Elizabeth’s eye and raised an eyebrow. While this might be aloof coming from another man, coming from Mr Darcy, it was almost an outpouring of affection. Elizabeth gazed at her intended with wonder. When he looked at her, she smiled at him.
“Thank you,” she mouthed silently.
Darcy inclined his head, but there was a light in his eyes at the sight of Elizabeth’s gratitude.
She was even more astonished when she left the room and returned sometime later to see Darcy sitting beside her mother, listening as he held a ball of her wool while she spoke in rapid tones about her hopes for their marriage. Darcy nodded gravely, and although he had none of Bingley’s openness, it touched Elizabeth to see him try. She could not expect more from him. Mrs Bennet would try the patience of a saint, and no sensible man could pretend she was an agreeable companion. But seeing Darcy make such an effort with her family made Elizabeth glow with pride.
“I am in need of Mr Darcy, Mama,” she said from the doorway. Mrs Bennet’s face fell.
“But we were having a lovely chat, were we not Mr Darcy? Oh, very well. I suppose you must speak with one another.”
Darcy left the room to join Elizabeth with amusing speed. Elizabeth smiled at him and gestured for him to join her in the garden. Summer was almost there, and the day was warm. Darcy offered her his arm.
“I want to thank you for the effort you are making with my family,” she said. “You do not know what it means to see it.”
“They will be my family too,” said Darcy. “And anything that pleases you pleases me. I want to get to know them better.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Well, do not feel you need to put yourself to too much trouble. Even I could not endure sitting with my mother and listening to her rattle on so much, and Mary told me you had been sitting with her for some half an hour. It is good of you but do not overexert yourself.”
Darcy looked at her and released a breath of such relief, Elizabeth burst out laughing.
“I cannot deny I am relieved to hear that,” he admitted. “If I heard one more word about the flower arrangements - flower arrangements! What do I know of those? I can hardly tell a rose from a daisy, and if I had to mutter ‘Excellent idea, madam’ one more time, I would have gone mad.”
“Flower arrangements! Ha! Expect no pity from me! I live with her while you visit. I have listened to her talk about bouquets and veils and wedding clothes until I think I should go quite mad! While you are sitting at your ease at Netherfield drinking brandy and talking about hunting or whatever it is you men do when you are alone together, I am forced to sit here and have her discuss every minute detail of our wedding until I feel it would be better to elope. You have it easy.”
She turned laughing eyes up at him. “But I speak seriously. I appreciate seeing you try.”
To Darcy’s surprise, she leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips to his cheek. She had evidently done the action without thinking because when she stepped back, her eyes were wide with astonishment and her cheeks stained a becoming hue. She started to apologise, but Darcy stopped her.
“I cannot say I am offended to be kissed by my future wife,” he said. He found it hard to keep the smile from his face. He tucked her arm more securely in his, and they walked together until the housekeeper, Hill, summoned Elizabeth to the house to dress for the ball.
Netherfield Park was lit up when their carriage pulled to the front of the
house. Jane took an unsteady breath. Elizabeth patted her hand. No doubt Jane was overwhelmed with memories of her last time at a Netherfield ball when her hopes of love had been at a high only to be cruelly disappointed the following day. Tonight would be her first time seeing Mr Bingley since he left Hertfordshire and Jane had dressed with more than usual care. Her beauty was more luminous than ever. She would outshine every other woman in the room. But Jane only cared for Mr Bingley’s notice.
Darcy handed them out of the carriage and escorted them to the house, Mr Bennet following behind. Everyone turned to look at them when they entered the room. The future bride and groom. Whispers went around like wildfire and Elizabeth’s face burned to think they might be spreading gossip of their scandal. She glanced up at Darcy to see how he bore the scrutiny. More proud and concerned about his reputation than she, surely he would take it much worse. To her surprise, he seemed perfectly composed. He raised her fingers to his lips and kissed them. Her breath caught, and her heart pounded at the contact. While he was bent over her hand, he murmured so only she could hear,
“Show no distress, Elizabeth. You and I have no cause to hang our heads. Let them say what they will.” He lifted his face and smiled at her. Elizabeth couldn’t help returning it, and for a moment as they looked at one another, she was oblivious to the stares and nudges and whispers around them. She found it hard to smooth the smile from her face when she turned to the rest of the room. Darcy still held her hand, and she was very aware of it.
Bingley and his sister came forward to greet them. Bingley smiled at Elizabeth and congratulated Darcy on their engagement. He welcomed Jane but seemed unable to meet her eye. He blushed and stammered and made an excuse that he needed to see to another matter. Jane’s face fell. Elizabeth turned to her in concern but she shook her head and squeezed her hand to show that she was well.
Miss Bingley’s smile was so brittle it threatened to smash at any moment.
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