by Lilian, Lory
At that moment, Mr. Darcy became more serious and assured Mr. Bennet that he must worry about nothing from then on. Mr. Bennet replied, with gratitude and emotion, that all his worries vanished the happy day he received news of their engagement.
On the third day after their arrival, as Darcy, Elizabeth and her father were having a light discussion in the library, they were interrupted by Lydia’s impetuous entrance.
“Papa, I want to go to Brighton! The regiment will leave soon, and I want to go there. You must allow me! Mama is very unfair to me; she doesn’t even listen to me anymore!”
“I want to go, too, Papa,” said Kitty behind her.
“Thank you for sharing your wishes with me, girls. Now please be so kind as to pull the door behind you when you leave.”
“But, Papa, what do you say?”
“About what, child?”
“About Brighton, of course! I want to go; Mrs. Forster has told me there will be many balls and parties with all the officers. This is my dream, Papa.”
“I am sure it is, Lydia. Now go and let me finish my business.”
“Oh, this is so unfair,” cried Lydia. “So unfair!” She groaned as she left the room.
Mr. Darcy glanced at Elizabeth; she was embarrassed, and he smiled to comfort her then looked at Mr. Bennet. The gentleman seemed perfectly calm, resuming their conversation with obvious amusement. For him, it was a normal disturbance.
Sometime later, they joined the others in the drawing room. Lydia was still upset, and Kitty was not far away. Jane attempted to moderate them while Mr. Bingley stood by the settee and simply admired Jane.
“So, my dear Mr. Bennet, how are things going on? Mr. Darcy, are there hopes of improvement for Longbourn, do you think?” Mrs. Bennet inquired with a broad smile.
“According to Mr. Darcy’s expertise, it seems we can estimate great improvements in the future,” Mr. Bennet replied with perfect calmness.
“Oh, such a relief indeed! I expected nothing less from Mr. Darcy—no indeed. I can only imagine how much larger your estate is; you must be extraordinarily clever to take care of it. I have always said you must be extraordinarily clever, Mr. Darcy.”
“No, you did not,” Lydia intervened, and Mrs. Bennet turned white.
“Of course I did, silly child, but you did not hear me because you never hear anything. I was always certain that Mr. Darcy was the only one who might help Mr. Bennet.”
“I thank you for your kind words, madam. I did nothing more than to share with Mr. Bennet some aspects I already had to solve in the past. There was not much help needed,” the gentleman replied with perfect politeness.
“But you know, I wonder if it is such a good thing to improve Longbourn. It pains me so much to know that after Mr. Bennet passes away the estate will be inherited by Mr. Collins. I cannot even bear to think of that. Perhaps it would be better to allow the estate to fall into ruin.”
“Mama!” cried Jane and Elizabeth at the same time.
“Well, my dear, I understand your distress, but let us hope I live long enough to benefit from the improvement of Longbourn. And, if we are both fortunate, perhaps you will be protected from any suffering by simply passing away before me,” replied Mr. Bennet.
Mrs. Bennet started to laugh.
“Oh, Mr. Bennet, you are such a tease! God has been so good to us by helping our daughters to marry so well. I could not care less about Mr. Collins. If I were never to see him again, I would be perfectly content. I never liked him!”
“Yes, you did, Mama,” Lydia said. “Do you remember when Lizzy refused to marry him and you almost forced her to accept his proposal? Oh, it was so much fun! Mr. Collins running after Lizzy and Mama running after him! And now Lizzy marries Mr. Darcy! What a joke!” Lydia ended her tirade with a burst of laugher while everyone else froze.
Elizabeth was crimson, unable to raise her eyes from the floor. Mrs. Bennet was pale, staring at Darcy in the greatest panic; Mr. Bennet himself was speechless and lost.
Darcy looked from one to other, undecided what to do next.
“Bingley, I think we should leave and change for dinner,” Darcy eventually said.
“Yes, yes indeed,” Mr. Bingley approved with great relief, and only a few minutes later, both gentlemen left the house. The next moment, Mrs. Bennet’s voice shattered the walls.
“How could you say such a thing in front of Mr. Darcy? Are you out of your mind, child? What if he gets upset and annuls the engagement? It is miracle enough that he wishes to marry Lizzy. Now you try to scare him away? Stupid, mindless child!”
“You should let me to go to Brighton, and then I will say nothing more! You promised me as much before you found out about Lizzy’s engagement. You promised!”
“Brighton? You may go way beyond Brighton. You may go beyond Paris, if you wish; I do not care! If you find someone to pay your expenses, go! I will surely not ask your father for a single farthing for you; you do not deserve it! I do not wish to hear or see you again until after Lizzy is married—that is, if Mr. Darcy ever returns! Upon my word, if he refuses to marry Lizzy, I shall never buy you a single bonnet or dress ever again!”
Mrs. Bennet shut the door behind her and cried after Hill. Lydia left the house, followed by Kitty, and declared she would visit Maria Lucas.
Elizabeth noticed Jane attempting to speak to her, but she grabbed her bonnet, left through the back door, and moved at a quick pace along the garden path. She could not speak to anyone. When she was far enough, she ceased fighting her tears. Her eyes burned, and her chest ached from shame. She had hoped that, once he came to know and accept her family, she would have no reason to be embarrassed again, but she was wrong.
The revelation of Mr. Collins’s failed proposal should not have been a reason for distress; she would have told him herself eventually. Or she might have kept it secret; after all, it was a private matter and propriety demanded that it remain private. But the way the entire conversation flowed and her family offended each other once again in front of him—Lydia’s wild behaviour and her impertinence were too painful to watch.
She climbed the hill through the grove, wiping her eyes furiously. She wished for nothing but to be alone for a time. She sat on a fallen tree trunk and allowed her eyes to travel down to the valley. She would surely miss those beloved grounds.
Elizabeth startled at the sound of a horse approaching. She was angry that anyone would disturb her peace, and for an instant, her heart hoped it might be Mr. Darcy.
“Miss Bennet, what a lovely surprise to find you here,” said a well-known voice.
“Mr. Wickham. A lovely surprise, indeed,” she replied sternly.
“You look more beautiful than ever! I understand you had a lovely, long trip. And I also understand there is reason for me to congratulate you!”
“Indeed, you are well informed, sir. I thank you.”
“In truth, I never would have expected such an ending. Engaged to Mr. Darcy—that is something I would never imagine. I remember how much you disliked him a few months ago; I only hope he softens his manners somewhat and makes you happy. Although, being the mistress of Pemberley will surely compensate for any faults its master might have.”
“I am sure it will. I am even more fortunate that the master of Pemberley has few faults for which to compensate. And how are you, Mr. Wickham?”
“I am as well as can be expected. The regiment will leave Meryton; I am sure you heard. There are a few friends whom I will dearly miss,” he said meaningfully, but her expression remained unchanged.
“You will surely find a way to compensate for that loss; I do not doubt.”
“So—what did Lord Matlock say about the engagement? Did he approve?”
“Lord Matlock has always been kind and generous. We are happy to have his blessing.”
“Well, surely things have changed lately. The Darcys and the Matlocks never would allow anyone so beneath them to enter their family. You must have some special charms, Miss Bennet, to co
nvince them to accept you. I am speaking from personal experience; I was always tolerated but never accepted. They did not even give me what was rightfully mine…”
Elizabeth was angry and tired and not in the slightest as patient as she should be. Mr. Wickham’s large smile, insinuating tone, and that particular, cold glint in his eyes were too much to bear at such a time. She stepped closer to him.
“It is quite strange that you say such things, Mr. Wickham. From what I heard, you were always treated as a part of the family. I was told that the late Mr. Darcy held you in high esteem, which you did not quite deserve. I also understand that Lord Matlock never abandoned you, not even when your behaviour was less than honourable. Even more, I was informed that the living you told me about was left to you under special conditions that you did not fulfil. However, you did receive a large sum of money to compensate your loss. And, when you speak about not being allowed into the family, is it possible that you refer to the fact that you tried to compromise Lady Selina and Georgiana and were stopped before you succeeded?”
Each of her words twisted his countenance, and he stared at her open-mouthed. Her voice became cold and accusing while her entire presence demanded respect. When she took a step closer, he staggered back.
“It is true that I liked you from the very beginning of our acquaintance, Mr. Wickham, but you betrayed my trust and my friendship. You misled me with malicious gossip about Mr. Darcy and, even worse, about Georgiana—who you knew very well to be a delightful, sweet creature. You offended the memory of your godfather by hurting his children, and you shamelessly take advantage of Lord Matlock’s generous affection. And you dare speak of not being allowed in their families?”
“Miss Bennet, I shall not allow anyone to speak to me in such a manner. And you should be more prudent than to begin an offensive argument in the middle of the woods where nobody can hear you!”
“Is that so, Mr. Wickham? Perhaps you intend to take advantage of our present solitude and harm me in some way? That would be the final dishonourable thing you might do to show your true character!”
He took another step back and glanced sharply at her.
“I have no intention of harming you, Miss Bennet, but I shall not allow you to place the entire fault on me. Your accusations might be true, but everything I told you, you accepted willingly. Perhaps it was dishonourable the way I spoke of Darcy, but what would you say about a young lady, the daughter of a gentleman, who agrees to share gossip with a complete stranger from the first moment of their acquaintance? In what way was your behaviour better than mine? And now suddenly you discover a genuine affection for the same man you hated a few months ago. Could it be that your love suddenly appeared after you saw his properties? Do not attempt to fool me, Miss Bennet; I am not naïve!”
“I do not attempt to fool you, Mr. Wickham, and I shall not deny that your reproaches are deserved. My behaviour was wrong and unfair; my prejudice clouded my judgement while my pride and vanity blinded me to your deceptive amiability. But I shall not repeat my mistake; I shall not discuss with you my love or the changes of my heart. I am quite certain we will not see each other much in the future, so I wish you wisdom and humility and as good a life as possible. Good day, Mr. Wickham!”
“I would not be certain about how often we might meet in the future, and—”
“I said good day, Mr. Wickham. I would appreciate if you would not continue this conversation. I must return home now.”
She stepped back to return to the same path, and she was suddenly startled and released a small cry. Only a few steps away stood Thunder, waiting patiently. A short glance was enough to observe Mr. Darcy walking towards them slowly.
He bowed to her properly, his countenance stern, fixed upon her shoulder.
“Mr. Darcy! I was just returning to Longbourn. Such a surprise to see you— I thought you were at Netherfield by now.”
“A fortunate coincidence—please allow me to keep you company. Bingley has returned to Longbourn, and I will meet him there.”
“Darcy, very pleased to see you. I was just congratulating Miss Bennet on the news of your engagement. Please allow me to do the same.”
“Wickham, save your breath. As I told you last year, there are very few circumstances that would compel me to speak to you again. This is not one of them.”
He offered Elizabeth his arm, and they walked away together as Wickham called to them,
“Darcy, Miss Bennet—I hope to see you both again sometime soon!”
Wickham mounted, and the sound of his horse galloping away gradually diminished along the path. Only then did Elizabeth stop and ask Darcy to rest a moment. She glanced at him briefly.
“I met him a few minutes ago; we argued very harshly and—”
“I know; I heard. Forgive me, I did not mean to skulk, but your voices were loud, and I could not find a convenient moment to interfere.”
“You heard?” She blushed than instantly paled.
“Yes. Thank you for defending us. I do not know whether anyone ever told Wickham all those things straight to his face before. I was very proud of you—and a little frightened, I confess. I must be careful in future not to upset you in any way.” He laughed, but she felt her eyes burning.
“He was right; I was silly and blind and mindless. I allowed myself to be so easily deceived. I practically invited him to malign your name and Georgiana’s…”
“We have already discussed this, Elizabeth. The behaviour of neither of us was faultless since we first met. But all that is ended. Let us not think of the past.”
She laid her head against his chest as they stood side by side, and her hands slid around his waist. He held her tightly and lifted her chin so he could see her eyes. She was still tearful, but she laughed at him. He stole a brief kiss; then he suddenly moved and sat on the grass, pulling her to sit by him. A moment later, he lifted her and placed her in his lap. She gasped in surprise but only hesitated briefly before she allowed herself to enjoy his warmth. Her head was now a little higher than his, so she leaned down to his laughing mouth. She expected a kiss, which did not come. Instead, he trapped her in his embrace, almost crushed to his chest, and spoke seriously.
“So, Miss Bennet, I understand that I have something in common with Mr. Collins. I never would have expected that.”
She paled, and her heart nearly stopped. “I am very sorry for the uncomfortable situation you have been put in. My sister is always accustomed to have her own way and—”
“I see you attempt to change the subject, so I shall not insist further. I have only one question: between my proposal and Mr. Collins’s, which was worse?”
She stared at him incredulously, then suddenly cupped his face with her small hands and said, just an instant before her lips finally met his and she abandoned herself to his tender caresses: “Yours was worse, by far, sir.”
They became lost in a passionate kiss, their arms holding each other close. With guilty pleasure and embarrassment, she could feel his strong legs moving beneath her, his hands travelling daringly along her back, his lips abandoning hers to escape along her jaw to her neck and her shoulders then to the edge of her gown… She shivered and sighed, waiting, but the burning touch of his lips ceased.
“We should stop,” he suddenly whispered. “We must return to Longbourn; Bingley is expecting me—and your father too, I imagine.”
“Yes,” she admitted, struggling to breathe, but some time and more kisses were necessary before they finally succeeded in separating.
He gently brushed her hair with his fingers and arranged a few rebellious locks then fixed the edge of her gown, which had almost fallen down. He called Thunder, and a brief glance was enough for her to understand his meaning. They mounted together again, and this time she adjusted her body against his in the saddle almost immediately.
They rode towards the house, and each time the trees happened to shelter them from the main road, their lips sought and found each other, eager and starved to be join
ed. He carefully looked around each time to be certain they would not be caught. His hands daringly touched and caressed her thighs through the fabric of her gown with slight moves that could not possibly be noticed by anyone passing by but strong enough to make her skin tingle. Most of the time, she looked straight ahead to admire the view, allowing her nape, neck, and shoulder to bear the rushed, tantalising touches of his lips.
“Pray tell me how it happened that you returned. I thought you left to change for dinner.”
“I did. But I turned my head towards Longbourn for a moment and saw you walking towards the groves. I could not be certain it was you from such a distance, but it was a lucky guess.”
“Very lucky guess, indeed.” She laughed.
Finally, Longbourn was in view and their posture—though awkward as they rode together—became perfectly proper. Just before they reached the main garden, he leaned to whisper, “I might reconsider my previous decision to teach you to ride. I find this way of riding much more rewarding.”
She laughed again, laying her head back against his chest. When they stopped, he dismounted and helped her down.
At that moment, Mr. Bennet appeared from the back door and stopped in surprise to look at them with curiosity and then reproach, studying their crimson faces, hair in disorder, and embarrassed looks. They glanced at each other and realised they looked far from proper.
“Mr. Darcy! I thought you left long ago, sir.”
“I… We…” They both turned red while struggling to speak.
“Well, well… I guess I must congratulate myself on insisting to shorten your engagement.”
“Papa, we—”
“Lizzy dear, go and change for dinner before your mother sees you. I shall see you soon,” Mr. Bennet said gently, highly amused.