Suddenly Elizabeth

by Anne Louise

  “Yes, she has promised the Gardiners she will not do that again.”

  “So Fitzwilliam, please tell me more about her?”

  Darcy repeated what he had told his uncle earlier.

  “How old is she?”

  “I do not know but I would guess that she is eighteen or very close to that age. He went on and continued to talk about her.”

  “I think our nephew has discovered that a young woman with charms has much to offer. What say you, nephew?”

  “Aunt, I will say that she is easy to talk with and has an outgoing and friendly countenance. I am anxious for Georgiana and Miss Bennet to meet whilst she is staying in town.”

  “But Georgiana is in Derbyshire.”

  “Yes, but I have summoned her to return to town. Georgiana and I will stay until the fall and then we will return to Pemberley.”

  “How is her recovery going?”

  “She seems well on the way to a full recovery, though she will be confined to bed for at least a fortnight. Doctor Jones came to the Gardiner home and wrapped her ankle and said she has a severe sprain but no break. This is the second day he has come to check on her and the same with me.”

  Darcy told them of carrying her and lifting her on his horse and riding her back to Gracechurch Street and that the doctor has made it clear that she stay confined to her bed. Darcy’s relatives gave each other a telling grin when Darcy could not see them. They both knew the significance of his meeting the young woman.

  “He will visit every other day and I plan on doing the same.”

  Darcy’s aunt looked puzzled. “And why will you not want to see her more often?”

  She asked that question because she wanted to probe his feelings for the young woman. Both she and her husband listened for their nephew’s reply.

  “I just figured that I was making a nuisance of myself and did not want to give her the wrong impression.”

  “And what is the wrong impression?”

  “Uncle, I feel like I am being bombarded on two fronts. You both know I have no history with young women. I do like this Miss Bennet, but nothing can come of it. I hoped to give her some time to herself and the same with her relatives.”

  “Then, are you certain she is not a fortune hunter?”

  “Yes, Aunt, she does not know of me and I wish to keep it that way.”

  “Her uncle knows who you are and he is my friend, though I imagine he will not mention your name. Edward Gardiner is thought of very highly in town and your aunt and I have purchased several things from him.”

  “I do plan on continuing to check on her progress.”

  “Do you regret not seeing her on the morrow?”

  “That is true, but I do not want to lead her on. Perhaps it would be best if I did not see her again.”

  “Is that what you really want?”

  “Of course not, I want to see her get well and meet Georgiana and have them become friends. I just believe she would be good company for her.”

  “Is she a gentlewoman?”

  “Yes, her father is a gentleman farmer in Hertfordshire and she has four sisters and no brothers.”

  “I pity the father,” replied the uncle. “He has his hands full with a wife and five daughters.”

  “Nephew, you must take that as a lesson. Just make sure that you produce an heir.”

  “Your uncle is teasing you, Fitzwilliam. I encourage you to get to know the young woman. It sounds as if you are both innocents. Just be careful about giving your heart away too soon.”

  “That will not be a problem. My friend Mr. Bingley is an expert on falling in love and I am too young to think about marriage.”

  “Tell that to the ladies of The Ton,” his aunt replied.

  “But I am not interested in such women. I am glad to have caught you both at home but I must leave now for other business. You should know that I am pleased that you do not object to my taking an interest in Miss Bennet.”

  “No, nephew, as it is we both believe you have waited too long. Anyway, you must make these decisions. One day you will meet a woman and fall in love and both your uncle and I trust you to make the right decision, and that means that your cousin Anne should not be your wife.”

  “And will you tell that to Aunt Catherine?”

  “No, that will be your job, but your aunt and I likely will accept any young woman you ultimately choose.”

  Darcy left and returned to Darcy House and planned to go over his mail. As he entered the library and went to the shelf which had held the two books he brought for Elizabeth, his eye noticed how big and lonely the room was. After his father’s death, Darcy had added to the books with his own favourites but had not made other changes and left the desks and tables and chairs and wall coverings as they had been. He was not a man who liked changes and the walnut wood shelves and doors and other masculine furniture did not bother him.

  As he walked about the room it occurred to him that the room was stale and too dark. It was also drab and dull and not happy and the windows needed to be opened to let the house breathe. He walked to the drapes and pulled them away from the large windows overlooking a smallish garden. The sun’s rays danced as leaves rustled in the wind and he watched dust stir about through the beams of sunlight. I will have to tell the housekeeper to have the drapes cleaned and the windows washed.

  His heart silently rejoiced at seeing the sunshine again and how it had brightened the room. Suddenly he thought back to his first seeing Elizabeth in the early rays of the sun as she skipped along in the park. She was made for the sunshine and her personality and charming wit he could not deny, nor the sparkle of her eyes as she studied him and smiled with simple mannerisms that moved his heart.

  He went to the study and repeated the process but this time the window afforded little sunlight as it was blocked by the large boxwoods and trees nearby. That was something he always disliked about the room in the summer, though it was cooler than the other rooms. He mostly loved the cooler months and he would sit near the fire with his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and drink a glass of brandy and discuss the world’s problems. Now he let his thoughts run free and pictured Elizabeth sitting near and they were talking. Darcy longed to hear her voice again and he thought he could listen to her for hours. Her voice was soft and inviting and her eyes shinned brilliantly, like so many diamonds, just like the light of the fire as it flickered through the amber liquid in his crystal glass when he held it to the light.

  He sank into his favourite chair and let his mind think back on his brief history with the young woman and he could remember every detail of when she sprained her ankle. Again he remembered her redden eyes and saw she was in pain and knew he must help her. She had been brave and only winced once and her body shivered in pain as he removed her half boot from her foot and handed it to her. Suddenly he lifted her onto his horse. The few tears she shed were when her head was pressed against his shoulder as they rode to her uncle’s house. With her in his arms he was her protector and he would do anything for her at that moment. When he first inspected her ankle Darcy noticed her chocolate curls under her bonnet and they had nearly escaped their pins but after he returned with his doctor, Darcy saw a different Elizabeth, as she had been attended to and was dressed in her sleeping clothes. Her hair had been taken down and her face scrubbed and he saw how smooth her skin was and as he came nearer he caught her fragrance of lavender.

  It would be safe to say that Fitzwilliam Darcy was bewitched that day in his study as he now took the time to close his eyes. Soon after that Elizabeth appeared and he watched her eyes as they followed him and he wondered if she was trying to read his mind. He shook his head as if to break from those thoughts and rose from his seat and walked over to the sidebar and poured himself a glass of brandy, but he saw that his hands were nervously shaking. After that he walked to the fireplace and rested his arm on the mantel as he looked at the furniture and again pictured Elizabeth sitting with him. Next he returned to his desk and attempted to work
but he could not. Darcy knew he was still unsettled so he quit Darcy House and rode over to his friend Charles Bingley’s house, but the man was out of town. When he returned home he suddenly felt more alone than any time in his life and he knew it was Miss Bennet’s company that he missed. At least he would see her in two days and Georgiana should arrive a few days later.

  That night Darcy again thought of his earlier visit with his aunt and uncle. They had both seemed excited that he had finally expressed an interest in a young woman and it was clear they wanted him to marry, and soon. After visiting with the Gardiners, Darcy had observed Elizabeth’s interaction with her younger cousins. He could not recall such closeness within his own family and he enjoyed visiting with the children and they had made him happy and wanted to play. Now he saw the prospects of having his own family one day and remembered what Elizabeth had said about the entail of her home. He knew he could not wait too long to marry, but to who?

  Miss Bennet would be an unlikely candidate because of her lack of fortune, but at least he could learn from her. Yes, that is what I will do. She and I will be friends and I will see what I really want and need in a wife.

  ****

  Later Elizabeth read a good part of the books Darcy had brought and also played with and read stories to her cousins and followed that same routine the next day but her aunt had told her she was a little grumpy.

  “Lizzy, you must be feeling better because you are acting grumpy. Is there something I can do other than to ask Mr. Darcy to visit?”

  “That is not funny, Aunt. I believe I am just frustrated because of being confined to bed. You know how I love my long walks. Oh, I wish I had never seen the man.”

  “That is quite a statement. You said earlier how you liked the feeling of his carrying you in his arms.”

  “Yes, but had I not seen his horse rear up, I would not have tripped and sprained my ankle.”

  “But you might have sprained it even if he was not present. No, Lizzy, you are grumpy because you miss him. I have seen the way you look at him and the way he looks at you. Never mind, things will be better on the morrow when he and the doctor return. The children also miss him when he is away.”

  Her aunt may have hit on the reason for Elizabeth’s unhappiness but her niece fought with herself to not think on such things. To even begin to think of the man meant she had feelings for him and she did not want this now. She was clueless in matters of the heart and needed to speak with her sister, Jane, but that was impossible. Neither could she write to Jane because her mother would read her letters to all the family. That night she again felt a pain in her chest, or was it her stomach? Everything was happening too fast and she worried because she knew herself to be in danger around Mr. Darcy. She cried herself to sleep that night but once she thought of his arms around her as they rode on Sampson, she found a peaceful sleep.

  After waiting an extra day, Darcy was eager to see Elizabeth again and arrived at the Gardiner home just as the doctor was leaving.

  “I see you have beat me here. How is Miss Bennet today?”

  “She is improving slowly but I believe she attempted to put some weight on her ankle and lost her balance and landed on her elbow. Darcy, you must have a talk with her. I believe her current situation is very precarious and her sprain could easily turn into a nasty break if she does not stay in her bed. If she sustains a break it could be very bad and she might limp the rest of her life. And Darcy, watch out for your heart. One day you are content with your world and out of the clear blue sky a young woman appears in your life and alters everything. Have you seen those eyes?”

  Darcy laughed. “Then I am not the only person who notices these things. She is certainly an original.”

  “From what I have observed the young woman is not only intelligent but has a happy personality and is vivacious and full of wit. I can see that such confinement is difficult for her, and she told me how she loves to walk. Talk to her, Darcy, and demand that she stay off her feet. Miss Bennet can talk on most subjects and I dare say I have never met such a young woman. One day she will make some lucky man a very good wife.”

  Darcy watched as the man left and paused a few moments to ponder the doctor’s words. Most of what the doctor said was true, but Darcy knew he was not content with his world before he met Elizabeth. He had been a lost soul and earlier had prayed for a woman like her to come into his life. Had his prayers been answered? Darcy was certain the doctor was right when he said that Elizabeth would make some lucky man a good wife. Now his heart beat rapidly and he had to catch his breath as he resolved that he would not lose her to another man.

  Seeing he was outside the Gardiner home, next he was invited inside by Mrs. Gardiner. “Oh, Mr. Darcy, please come inside. Doctor Jones just left.”

  “Yes, I saw him about to ride away just as I arrived and we spoke. Is Miss Bennet available to be seen?”

  “Yes, she is presently with the children. I will walk up with you and tell the children to leave but keep her door open, just like the other times.”

  Soon the two were together and like his last visit he expected to see the older children occasionally looking at them and giggling.

  “Miss Bennet, I am pleased to visit with you again. When I arrived I spoke with Doctor Jones and was distressed to learn you have not followed his orders.”

  “Yes, what you say is true, and I told him I will not try to walk so soon and certainly not alone.”

  “Miss Bennet, I know this confinement is hard on you, but you must not try to walk so early. The doctor said that your ankle could easily break and that such a break might mean your ankle would never be right. You might hobble about all your life. Will you promise me not to do that again? Before you tell me to mind my own business, I believe it is my business, because were it not for my horse getting spooked, you would not have your sprain. If you later broke your ankle by foolishly trying to walk without assistance, I would claim some responsibility for that as well.”

  “I did not realize you were that concerned.”

  “Yes, I wish to someday dance with you and take long walks and watch you skip along and sing as you did that morning we met.”

  “Yes, that would be fine if I can avoid stumbling. I do promise, Mr. Darcy. And sir, I wish to thank you for the books. I shall return them to you after I have read them.”

  “No, they have been loaned to you indefinitely and your uncle has taken the credit as if he gave them to you. If you wish you can ask your grandchildren to return them to Darcy House one day.”

  His words gave Elizabeth something to think about. What is all of this about grandchildren? Apparently he wants me to keep these books. Is this how he shows that he cares?

  “That is very kind. Never have I seen any books as grand. Now come pull up a chair nearer, Mr. Darcy. I see you continue to fight your battles with an unruly curl that keeps falling onto your brow. Why not cut off the portion that offends?”

  “Yes, it is interesting that you noticed that, but it is there to let me know that all is not perfect. Such an unruly curl has been my constant companion since I was the age of your cousins.”

  Elizabeth let out a soft chuckle as one of the children entered the room. “Mr. Darcy, sir, I have a curl that does the same.” Darcy turned to him and inspected the unruly curl.

  “I see no reason to fret, young man. The curl gives you character. One day a beautiful young woman will like you for your curl.” I do hope she likes me for more than that.

  “Thank you sir.” With that said, the child ran out of the room giggling.

  “Well, back to your curl, none of us is perfect, even you, Mr. Darcy, though I might have guessed otherwise by the way you dress. I have never seen a gentleman dress so well.”

  “I try to keep up my appearance but I confess that sometimes I shed these clothes and work outside, whether this means clearing brush or clearing streams of debris or just gardening.”

  “That cannot be. Let me see your hands?”

  Darcy wa
s happy to reach out his hands. She saw her own hands holding his and noticed how large his hands were. They were also free of cuts and scars and did not appear to be the hands of a man who worked outdoors. Next she told him these things.

  “Miss Bennet, I do wear gloves when I do this work and I do not engage in such labor that often.”

  Here, rub my hands again and see that they are not so soft as you might expect. On the other hand, pardon the pun, your hands are exquisite and smooth. He traced his fingers along her palm and inside her wrist and along each of her fingers, stopping to run his fingers over her nails. She watched his eyes as he caressed her hands for several minutes and felt sensations she had never felt before. Is this the way a man seduces a woman? I believe this must be, for I wish he would kiss me. Oh, what is wrong with me? If he did kiss me I would be in great danger.

  “You have beautiful hands and fingers,” he said.