Elizabeth had almost forgotten about the Northern Tour, ever since Mr. Darcy had arrived at Longbourn, she had thought of little else but him, and their engagement. “Papa,” said Elizabeth, “May I go?”
“I do not see why not. Your efficient mother has the wedding plans well under way. In any case, dear sister, I would venture to guess that Mr. Darcy would very likely be happy to return to Pemberley if it meant staying near you.”
“Quite right,” agreed Mrs. Gardiner, “What say you, Lizzy?”
“I should love to join you,”
“Wonderful, we shall depart in five days.”
***
When Darcy, Mr. Bingley, and Georgiana called the following day, the elder Bennet ladies received them. Georgiana went off to the back garden where Mary and Kitty were waiting to meet her, leaving the gentlemen alone with their fiancées. Elizabeth and Darcy retreated to the corner of the room, while Jane and Bingley sat closely yet innocently together on one of the sofas.
“William,” said Elizabeth, “I have some interesting news for you.”
“What is it?” he asked as he took her hand in his.
“I am to accompany my aunt and uncle on their Northern Tour.”
“How far north are you to go?” asked Darcy, wondering why she had not mentioned this before.
Elizabeth smiled as if she had recalled some private joke. “In all the excitement of these past months I had forgotten about our planned excursion. We were going to tour the Lakes, but now our tour is to be contracted due to my uncle’s business affairs. Instead, we are to see Blenheim and Chatsworth, and the surrounding areas. My aunt is quite eager to return to Derbyshire as well. She grew up in Lambton, which, if I am not mistaken, is a mere five miles from Pemberley.”
Darcy looked surprised. “Indeed, it is. Derbyshire is quite lovely this time of year.”
“My aunt was unsure if I should wish to join them. She was concerned that I could not bear to be away from you.”
“Is that true?” asked Darcy, with a slight smile.
“Of course it is, my dear,” she answered, “My father suggested that you may be persuaded by my company to venture to Pemberley.”
“Your father knows me well, then. It has been a while since I have been back at Pemberley. To be honest, I quite enjoy the notion of having you at Pemberley before our wedding. Conveniently enough, it is close to all of the wonderful sights to be seen in Derbyshire.”
“William,” said Elizabeth suspiciously, “what exactly are you suggesting?”
“I should love to have you and the Gardiners as guests at Pemberley.”
***
At dinner, Darcy extended the invitation to stay at Pemberley. “Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, I should be delighted if the two of you and Elizabeth would stay at Pemberley for the duration of your northern tour. It is near all the fine sights of Derbyshire, and there is quite a lot to occupy one’s time. Are you fond of fishing, Mr. Gardiner?”
“Very fond of it, Darcy,” said Mr. Gardiner. “I rarely have an opportunity to partake in the activity.”
“There are several wonderful fishing spots at Pemberley. There will be plenty of opportunities to try your hand.”
“Sounds tempting,” said Mr. Gardiner.
“I envy you, brother,” said Mr. Bennet, “I have very few opportunities to try my hand at the sport. Not to mention, you have the chance to see Darcy’s famous library, you must inform me if it lives up to expectations.”
“Oh, Mr. Bennet,” said Mrs. Bennet in an exasperated tone. Then to her second daughter she said, “Lizzy, you are very fortunate to see this grand estate before your wedding. You must thank Mr. Darcy for his generous offer!”
“It is no trouble at all, Mrs. Bennet,” said Darcy, “Georgiana and I shall be honored to have them.”
Georgiana looked up at her brother from across the table, “Brother, if it is all the same to you, I would rather remain in Hertfordshire with the Bennets. Mary and Kitty have invited me.”
Darcy glanced at his sister, amazed that she had made such a connection to Elizabeth’s younger sisters. “If you have Mr. Bennet’s permission then I see no problem with the arrangement,” he said.
“I have grown accustomed to having five young girls in my household, and there shall be no peace at Longbourn if Mary and Kitty lose their dear friend,” said Mr. Bennet.
“I imagine that there shall be no peace at all, with our young cousins staying at Longbourn as well, Papa,” said Elizabeth.
Mr. Bennet agreed with a wry smile. He was confident that his dear Lizzy would be well chaperoned by the reliable Gardiners.
***
The last fine summer day of their stay in London brought the Gardiners, Bennets, Mr. Bingley and the Darcys to Hyde Park. The Gardiner children were elated to have another chance to run about the park chasing one another. As soon as their camp for the day was set up, the boys began to chase their sisters across the wide expanse of lawn. Jane and Bingley took delight in watching the youngsters frolic through the park, while the Bennets and Gardiners lounged in the shade of the canopy.
Mary and Kitty sat with Georgiana discussing whatever it was that young ladies discussed. The three had grown close over the summer and were now inseparable. Darcy took delight in watching his sister with Mary and Kitty. He had not thought that the three diverse young ladies would develop such a close friendship in just a few short weeks. Elizabeth was pleased to see the positive influence that Georgiana’s poise and grace had on Kitty and Mary. Kitty had been imitating Lydia’s wildness for so long that both Jane and Elizabeth doubted that she could behave in a civilized manner, but as she spent more time with Georgiana, she was undergoing a wonderful transformation, from a heedless and immature girl, to a gentle and pleasant young woman. As for Mary, she was becoming less severe and while she had never displayed much of a sense of humor, under Georgiana’s influence, her family was surprised to discover that she shared the same dry sense of humor as her father.
Darcy, of course, asked Elizabeth if she would walk with him. Ever since they had decided that an outing in the park was in order, they had both been looking forward to reminiscing about their last unexpected encounter at Hyde Park.
They walked closer together than propriety normally allowed, but this was one of the advantages of being engaged to be enjoyed. Elizabeth’s gloved hand lay lightly on Darcy’s arm. They set a leisurely pace as they walked down one of the park’s many paths. “I have often wondered, my dearest Elizabeth, what you were thinking that afternoon.”
“I have wondered the same thing, William,” replied Elizabeth. “My aunt was certain that you were not going to leave the park until you had spoken with me.”
“Your aunt has incredible instincts,” said Darcy.
“Honestly, William, what must you have thought when you saw me so unexpectedly?”
“Actually, I heard you first.”
“What?” asked Elizabeth baffled.
“I was walking through the park, scorning all the young couples I saw walking by. I heard children laughing and I could hardly believe that anyone could be so happy when I was so miserable,” he paused for dramatic effect. “Then I heard it, one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but your laughter filled my senses and there you were, running through the park along with your young cousins. Again, I thought I was imagining you, but after a moment I realized you were all too real. I was admittedly jealous of the little girl you held in your arms.”
“You were jealous of little Rose?” asked Elizabeth with a laugh.
“I was jealous of anyone so close to you,” said Darcy.
“As for my rendition, I was not the one to spot you first. It was Jane who noticed you, sitting on the bench with an open book.”
“I do not recall the book I had with me, nor do I remember reading a single sentence.”
“Jane asked me if it was you and when I looked up, I could hardly believe that it was. Indeed, I had tho
ught you were at Pemberley. I never dreamed that I would see you again, no matter what you had said in your letter.”
“I thought the same about you, my dearest. I believed that you were lost to me forever, but there you were right before my eyes. For the next hour I struggled between a wish to leave the park and a desire to approach you. Your last words to me kept replaying in my head and I suspected that you would not be pleased to see me but I felt better than I had in days.”
“You are too kind, sir, I am sure that seeing me again was not as pleasant as you make it seem. As for me, I quite hoped you would go away, even while wishing you would work up the nerve to approach me.”
“What made you decide to approach me, if I may ask?”
“My aunt. She suspected that you had read not a word of your novel and that you were not going anywhere until I spoke with you. By this time, I had told her our entire history. She thought that I should take pity on a man who once confessed his love for me.”
“Then I am indebted to your aunt, for I lacked the courage to approach you myself.”
The both sported wry grins as they contentedly made their way back to the others.
When they arrived, the Gardiner children had exhausted themselves and now were lounging beneath the shade of a large tree. “Cousin Elizabeth,” cried Thomas, the eldest Gardiner boy, “come and sit with us. Cousin Jane has gone off with Mr. Bingley and we are lonely!”
Elizabeth and Jane had a special relationship with their young cousins. Kitty and Lydia had never cared much for spending time with them and Mary preferred her book of sermons to playing with her cousins.
“May Mr. Darcy join us, Thomas?” asked Elizabeth merrily.
Thomas looked up at the tall, and somewhat intimidating man. “Does he laugh and smile like Mr. Bingley?” asked Thomas dubiously.
“I am sure he can be persuaded,” said Elizabeth, taking Darcy’s hand in hers and walking over to her cousins. Elizabeth and Darcy settled against the trunk of the tree. “Where did Jane and Mr. Bingley wander off to?” asked Elizabeth.
“They wanted to walk the park,” said Emily, with a dreamy sort of smile on her face.
“And they left you to yourselves. How unkind!”
Darcy said nothing. He had never spent much time with children, but he had to admit that the Gardiner children were engaging. It had been a long time since he had interacted with a child. Georgiana, Mary, and Kitty had turned their attention towards them and Darcy suspected that Georgiana was surprised to see him sitting with four children. He suddenly envied Colonel Fitzwilliam, who could charm anyone of any age, and he could not help but marvel at Elizabeth’s easy way with her young cousins. They clearly loved Elizabeth very much, so at least they had that in common.
Elizabeth noticed Darcy’s awkward stance. With a mischievous smile she turned to Emily and whispered something in her ear. The young girl smiled and giggled all the while glancing at Darcy. “Cousin Lizzy,” said Emily, “I could not say such a thing. Mama and Papa would not approve.”
“Mr. Darcy likes being teased, Emily. He will appreciate it.” Emily looked dubious for a moment but then seemed to agree with her elder cousin’s words. The young girl stood up and said, “Mr. Darcy, sir, my cousin says your courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate you. Is this true?”
Darcy was amazed that the young girl was speaking so directly to him. He recognized Elizabeth’s words even though her young cousin spoke them. He suddenly smiled slightly and said, “It is true, Miss Emily,”
“Cousin Lizzy said that the great Mr. Darcy would never be caught playing a game of tag with four young children. Is this true as well?”
Darcy eyed Elizabeth suspiciously, but she was currently looking up at the tree as if fascinated by its leaves. “It was true at one time, but I expect that it is about to change.”
Emily was struck by his answer. Then she wondered if she would be fortunate enough to marry someone who was so clearly devoted to her. A seven year old does not often understand the ways of the world, but even she could tell that Mr. Darcy loved her cousin very much. Emily smiled. “Thomas, Matthew, Rose,” she cried, “Mr. Darcy and cousin Lizzy are to play tag with us!”
Thomas looked dubiously at Mr. Darcy, as if he scarcely believed his sister’s words, but one look at his cousin convinced him that they were true. As if on cue, Elizabeth stood up and took Darcy’s hand. “Mr. Darcy,” she said playfully, “I believe that you will be ‘it’ first!” With that she dashed away from him and instructed her cousins to keep away from Mr. Darcy for as long as they could.
Darcy could hardly believe he was participating in such childish antics, if he had been spotted by anyone he knew, he surely would have been embarrassed, but Elizabeth did not seem to find it so ridiculous that a grown man would run around with children. In fact, she encouraged such behavior. If only to humor her he did try his best to catch one of the rambunctious children. However, at the same time, he was tempted to catch Elizabeth and take her in his arms, but he knew that this was impossible. Fortunately, Darcy’s long legs gave him an advantage over the little Gardiners.
Elizabeth chuckled as she watched her fiancée play with her young cousins. A few months ago, she never would have believed the rigid and proper Mr. Darcy capable of such carefree behavior, but here he was. She had inkling that after the game the children would like Mr. Darcy just as much as they liked Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth watched as Darcy ran after the youngest Gardiner child, and after a few moments, he swept her into his arms. Rose was startled at first, but as young girls often do, she burst into enthusiastic laughter all the while demanding that she be released. Darcy obliged and then walked over to where Elizabeth was standing. The four Gardiner children continued the game and accepted the couple’s absence.
“Elizabeth,” he said softly, “I hope this challenge was amusing for you.”
“It was!” she said with a radiant smile. “And to think that I once believed you to be rigid and proper! Life with you is not going to be dull.”
“I am glad to have amused you so,” he said, taking her hand in his.
A few feet away, Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner had been observing Mr. Darcy. They had been stunned to see the gentleman frolic with the four small children, and they each suspected that Elizabeth had something to do with it. “Mr. Bennet,” said Mr. Gardiner, “I believe Mr. Darcy has what it takes to spend his life with our Lizzy.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” said Mr. Bennet, chuckling, “I have never met a young gentleman who was willing to be coerced into playing a game of tag at a public park.”
Elizabeth and Darcy spent the rest of the outing sitting away from Elizabeth’s family. Darcy held her hand in his and was caressing it lightly. “My dear Elizabeth, my love for you puts me at a loss for words at times.”
“I had a notion,” said Elizabeth.
***
Elizabeth waved off her family as the Bennet carriage disappeared down Gracechurch Street the following morning.
Later that day, while Elizabeth was packing the remainder of her belongings, Mrs. Gardiner knocked on her door. Elizabeth bade her to enter.
“Lizzy, dear, might I have a word with you?”
“Of course,” said Elizabeth.
“Are you looking forward to residing briefly at Pemberley? You seemed subdued at tea yesterday afternoon.”
“I do not know, aunt. Something about staying in Mr. Darcy’s house does not feel right. I do not wish to impose.”
“Lizzy, I do not understand the cause for your trepidation. Mr. Darcy made it very clear that it was his sincere wish for us to stay at Pemberley.”
“Perhaps I am just nervous about visiting Pemberley. It will be strange to get a sense of what my future life will become soon.”
“Lizzy, Pemberley is the finest house in all of Derbyshire. I am sure you will be quite content in being its Mistress.”
“I do not doubt my future happiness,” said Elizabeth softly. “However, I fear t
hat I might not be capable of running such a grand house. What if I should fail Mr. Darcy in some way?”
“Have you spoken to Mr. Darcy about your concerns?”
“Of course not,” said Elizabeth. “It is silly, really, that I am so nervous.”
“I am sure you will make a wonderful Mistress of Pemberley, and if your worries persist, you should most definitely speak to Mr. Darcy about them. I am certain he does not wish for you to feel anxious about the undertaking.”
“Thank you for your kind advice, Aunt. I am sure that we both still have some preparations to make for our early departure tomorrow.”
“Indeed, we do, Lizzy. Goodnight, my dear.” Then she kissed her niece’s forehead and left Elizabeth to her thoughts.
Ten
The first few days of their voyage were passed in a delightful manner. Elizabeth and the Gardiners toured Oxford, Blenheim, and Chatsworth on their route to Derbyshire. Elizabeth enjoyed spending time exclusively in the company of her aunt and uncle as much as she enjoyed the dramatic and beautiful scenery of the North.
They stopped briefly at Lambton to dine before journeying on to Pemberley. Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance of Pemberley woods with some perturbation, and at length, when they turned in at the lodge, her spirits were in a high flutter. The park was very large and contained a great variety of ground. They entered it in one of its lowest points and drove for some time in a beautiful wood stretching over a wide extent.
Elizabeth’s mind was too full for conversation, but she saw and admired every remarkable spot and point of view. They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, and where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration, and at that moment, Elizabeth could hardly believe that she was to be Mistress of all this!
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