Chapter Eleven
Elizabeth
“I beg your pardon, aunt?” Mr Darcy said, wide-eyed over breakfast that morning.
“You are not so old as to be losing your hearing Fitzwilliam, you know all too well what I said!” Lady Catherine huffed. Georgiana and Elizabeth shared a surprised look before turning back to face her.
“We all heard you, Lady Catherine, we just were not expecting such news,” Elizabeth said calmly.
“Well, I am afraid I have been called back with some urgency. Besides, it is clear I am not needed here as my advice has fallen on deaf ears thus far,” she said and looked at Elizabeth.
“I see. Well as unfortunate as it is to see you go, we shall make sure you are ready for the journey and do not feel the distance too much,” Mr Darcy said, even if it was obvious to Elizabeth that he was ready to push his aunt out the door right this moment.
“You are very gracious Fitzwilliam, and besides, I know with my leaving it will give you and Elizabeth a chance to work on the matters we discussed,” Lady Catherine said. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow but said nothing. There was no need to get into another quarrelsome conversation, not when she’d already won the battle by seeing the woman retreat.
“Yes. Indeed,” Mr Darcy said, his voice sounding somewhat strained.
“I must gather my belongings. I will be ready before noon,” Lady Catherine said as she stood up and began to walk away. Mr Darcy and Elizabeth stayed quiet, and Georgiana looked like she was barely holding in her response to the situation.
“It seems as though we are to be masters of our own time again at last,” she said.
Mr Darcy chuckled quietly. “Best to hold your tongue until she is truly gone.”
“But you would say it yourself?” Elizabeth asked, the corner of her lips curving upward.
“You know my thoughts on the matter,” Mr Darcy replied with a faint smile.
Georgiana covered her mouth, stifling a giggle. “And who taught you to laugh so when a dear relative is leaving?” Mr Darcy teased, his tone light.
“My dear brother, I learnt it from you.”
“I will have you know I do not giggle,” Mr Darcy said, shaking his head.
“No, but you do laugh, chuckle, chortle, and make all manner of pleased noises when she is not within your sight,” Georgiana said, her mouth still covered.
“Take your hands from your mouth so I can hear you clearly, I would like to know more about all the ways in which your dear brother makes himself silly,” Elizabeth said in a playful tone.
“Ah yes, so you can use it against me in a moment of weakness,” Mr Darcy said, his smirk widening.
“Why of course, what else would I use this information?” Elizabeth laughed.
“Oh, what a devious woman I have married,” Mr Darcy said, rolling his eyes.
“At least you both act like a married couple now,” Georgiana said, leaning back in her chair in a relaxed manner. Mr Darcy and Elizabeth looked at each other with confusion and then turned back to Georgiana.
“Whatever do you mean?” Mr Darcy asked. Georgiana looked between them both, as if what she was seeing was obvious.
“Pemberley has only been disturbed by our aunt of late. The two of you have put your differences aside, now that the true source of the scandal that brought you together has been revealed. I am grateful for it,” she said.
Elizabeth looked at Mr Darcy, a smile on her lips for it was true. They had acted with civility and kindness towards one another for the past few three weeks—thanks the truth coming to light. Elizabeth wondered for a moment if the scandal had never happened could she and Mr Darcy have found a way to get along? They would have seen much of one another, given Mr Darcy’s close connection to Charles.
What am I thinking? It would not have mattered. He always saw us as beneath him—and he certainly still does now.
And yet, she could not help but wonder what might have been if they had not been set on this bumpy road together.
***
By noon, Lady Catherine was gone. Mr Darcy, Elizabeth, and Georgiana watched her carriage disappear down the lane, and an almost tangible lightness settled over Pemberley.
“Now that she has left, I suggest we all take some time to relax,” Mr Darcy said.
“I agree,” Georgiana replied.
“I think I will work on some embroidery without fear of having every stitch criticised,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.
“That sounds an excellent way to spend the afternoon. I might join you, or perhaps sit and read,” Georgiana said thoughtfully.
“I will take a ride. A bit of air will do me good,” Mr Darcy said, heading towards the stables.
Elizabeth headed inside with Georgiana, and the pair spent a pleasant day reading and sewing in the library. Mr Darcy was taking some time on his ride but neither woman seemed to mind, enjoying the peace that came from Lady Catherine’s departure.
“I must go change for dinner, hopefully Fitzwilliam will return soon,” Georgiana said as she stretched her arms above her head.
“I am sure he will be back soon. Go and change, I shall freshen up for dinner once I finish this area I am working on,” Elizabeth said with a smile. Georgiana left and Elizabeth looked down at her work. She was embroidering a handkerchief for Mr Darcy, and she had intended for it to have his horse on it with some flowers from the garden. Right now, it was a horse’s head and not much more. This was going to take time as it required a lot of small stitches. She pressed the needle through the linen, focusing on getting her satin stitches neat and lying flat. Before she realised it, she had filled in a good portion of the horse’s neck.
“What are you working on?” A low voice came from directly behind her. Elizabeth’s head jerked up to see Mr Darcy looking down at her.
“Oh goodness, Mr Darcy, you startled me!” Elizabeth exclaimed, her heart still racing from the surprise.
“My apologies, I did not realise you were so absorbed in your work,” he replied with a chuckle, settling into the chair across from her.
“Well, you did,” she said, half-laughing. “How was your ride?”
“Invigorating, as always. Though while I was out, something occurred to me,” Mr Darcy said, leaning back slightly. His tone was casual, but there was a hint of something more.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”
“Your sisters will be attending Jane and Bingley’s ball next week,” he said, watching her closely.
Elizabeth’s eyes brightened at the mention of her family, though the excitement quickly dimmed. “Yes, I know. My mother wrote to me. Everyone is excited to attend. It will be lovely to see them again,” she said, though her voice wavered ever so slightly. “Lydia and Mr Wickham have confirmed they are attending. They will all stay at Hartley House although she and Mr Wickham have decided to press on the following day, to travel to Newcastle.”
“It seems they never like to be in one place for too long,” Mr Darcy commented.
“Indeed. I suspect Mr Wickham’s financial troubles are to blame for that,” she said, and Mr Darcy nodded. “Although there might be an opportunity here. Perhaps I can find out more from Lydia about the night of the scandal. If it was her at the inn, there might be something in her behaviour towards me. She has not seen me since the scandal broke. Indeed, I have been wondering if perhaps she might have been avoiding me.”
“If she has, then that would speak to her guilt. If she knows that she caused your marriage to me —a marriage she must know you didn’t want—then it would make sense she has been avoiding, you. Has she written to you?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Only at the start of the year to apologise for missing the wedding. She spoke of wishing to have a child, but since then, she’s not written at all.” She slipped to the front of her seat. “In fact, Kitty and Mother both wrote to me this week telling me Lydia is indeed with child now.”
Mr Darcy’s eyebrow rose. “She is? But she is coming to the ball?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth sighed. “But it is early days and so perhaps it will not show. In any case, she has not written to me personally. It may indicate guilt. Or she simply has not had the time. In any case, we have a chance to speak to her.”
“And we shall try to find a way to do so, I know this is difficult, given how close you and your family are,” he said gently. “But remember our agreement. We must be cautious. If we maintain our composure, we can endure it without giving any further fuel to idle gossip.”
Elizabeth sighed, nodding. “I will try to keep things quiet. Although I do wish to tell my father.”
“I understand. I’ll feel the same way. He ought to know, but we should be careful about implicating your sister.”
“If Lydia was party to the scandal, then my father deserves to know as it could affect our family, however until I find out the truth I shall not tell him my suspicions,” she assured him.
“Good. I do not wish to risk our reputations by making accusations we cannot prove.” His voice was calm, yet firm.
Elizabeth smirked, though her eyes were sharp. “Do you believe there’s any reputation left to preserve?”
Mr Darcy chuckled softly. “I’ve been learning optimism from Bingley.”
His light-heartedness eased some of the tension, though Elizabeth caught a flicker of something more serious in his expression. “We will clear our names, Elizabeth. I promise.”
A brief silence settled between them, comfortable but charged with unspoken thoughts. Elizabeth, curious to see how long Mr Darcy would endure the quiet, held back from speaking first.
At last, he broke the silence. “What are you working on?” he asked, clearly eager to steer the conversation elsewhere.
“Just a handkerchief,” she said, feigning nonchalance. “Nothing that should concern you.”
“I see,” he murmured, though his interest was apparent. After a moment, a familiar smirk curved his lips. “So, the Christmas present did come in useful after all?”
Elizabeth glanced up, catching his playful look. She laughed, shaking her head. “As I told you then, it’s a perfectly practical gift.”
“That you did,” he conceded with a slight nod. “And yet, I must interrupt your progress—it’s dinner time.”
Elizabeth looked out the window, noticing how low the sun had sunk. “You are correct,” she said, placing her embroidery aside. “Shall we?”
Mr Darcy stood, offering his arm with a slight smile. “Indeed, we shall, Mrs Darcy.”
They made their way to the dining room, where Georgiana was already waiting, her bright smile a reflection of the peace that now hung over Pemberley.