Chapter 16
“Darcy, where in the blazes have you been?” His aunt rebuked him as soon as he entered the dower house. “You are filthy,” she gave him a piercing look.
“An unfortunate side effect of working in the fields. The more pertinent question is what you require? After declaring this place a ‘garden shed’, I did not expect to have the benefit of your company,” Darcy responded testily.
“Do not take that tone with me. I have been waiting to talk to you for the better part of an hour.”
“Then I hope you will not mind waiting until I refresh myself.”
“Well, get to it and do not take ages to come down. I abhor this place, the upholstery is atrocious.”
Darcy closed his eyes, trying to summon all the patience he possessed. “I will be back momentarily,” he replied and went upstairs.
While he had no interest in whatever his aunt wished to speak about, he knew that ignoring her would achieve nothing.
She was well-versed in getting her way and would make a larger nuisance if ignored.
Thus he presented himself in the parlour within a quarter of an hour to suffer through his aunt’s latest litany of complaints.
“Whatever were you doing in the fields?” Mrs. Ashcombe again asked.
“I am trying to build drainage to deal with a swamp. There was a temporary setback yesterday, but we are back on track.”
“Drainage!” his Aunt exclaimed, “Are you not supposed to be wooing the lady? Building drainage would hardly be the way to Miss Bennet’s heart.”
“I would have you know that she was very appreciative of my efforts when we spoke yesterday. It was because of her assistance that I was able to find an old map to the estate and understand the problem.”
“Well, I did think her an odd creature when I saw her scribbling away in her sketch pad. She was quite prettily sketching the word “Tolerable”. I have never seen anyone take such pains with such an unremarkable word.”
Darcy’s eyebrows rose high at this, “She did hear me then,” he muttered with a deep sigh.
“Speak up boy, I can hardly hear you.”
“When I first saw her at an assembly, I had called her tolerable, and not handsome enough to dance with.”
“Are you touched in the head, nephew? You should be grovelling at her feet not playing in the mud like a schoolboy. Well, what are you still doing here? Go to the main house; she will be in the garden, speak to her and apologise.”
Darcy had no idea what he would say to Elizabeth, but he thought being in her presence was better than being reprimanded by his aunt for his multitude of errors.
As he reached the main house, he walked straight towards the back garden and found Miss Elizabeth sitting on the bench with a book in her hand.
She seemed lost in her thoughts, and he called out to her before approaching.
“Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth immediately got up and curtsied.
“Miss Bennet, I was hoping for some company as I walked the park,” Darcy said, thinking the activity might help him form his thoughts. He was gratified to see the smile on Elizabeth’s face. She marked the page in the book and kept it on the bench as she took his arm.
“How goes the work with the drainage, sir?” Elizabeth asked.
“It is progressing apace. Thanks to your assistance with the map,” Darcy replied. They continued to walk in silence for a few minutes when Darcy finally spoke.
“Miss Bennet, I have realised that of all my offences against you, I never apologised for the very first one.”
“Mr. Darcy, I assure you that you need not apologise for any perceived offence against me. If you were less than gentlemanly in your behaviour at any moment, then I was no model of propriety.”
“I will not rest easy unless I have said my piece. I have had many opportunities to speak to you in Hertfordshire and Kent, but in my hubris I squandered them all. I would like to deeply apologise for the comment I made at the Meryton assembly. There was no just cause for the blatant falsehood I uttered and you have every right to hold it against me forever.”
“Mr. Darcy, I can see that you are deeply troubled. Please let me assure you that I have learnt to put it behind me. It did hurt my pride to be referred to thus by a handsome newcomer, but I am not one to hold grudges.”
“For whatever it is worth, let me assure you that it has been some time since I have considered you the handsomest woman of my acquaintance.”
“Since you are acquainted with my sister Jane, I will take that as the highest compliment,” Elizabeth replied with a teasing glint, sure that the gentleman was probably exaggerating his praise in an effort to atone.
“Your sister is admittedly a handsome woman, but you are the one that glows. You know Bingley once referred to Miss Bennet as an angel and I was forced to think that you on the other hand are a devil of a woman,” Darcy replied with a teasing smile, much to Elizabeth’s surprise.
“Mr. Darcy! I may justly take offence to that, sir,” she replied with mock indignation.
“I meant it as the highest compliment, madam,” Darcy replied in a completely serious voice.
“You need to improve your skill in paying compliments. They are woefully inadequate,” the lady impertinently replied.
“Well, you must understand my dilemma; I never had to use these skills. I am more used to receiving compliments than giving them. I am sure it is because of my irresistibly handsome appearance and fine personality.”
“You are quite forward, sir, and impossibly vain,” Elizabeth replied with a twinkle in her eyes.
“I was hoping you would teach me how to conduct myself properly towards an intelligent and handsome lady with impossibly high standards of gentlemanly behaviour.”
Elizabeth blushed at this and was quiet for a few minutes.
She could not believe that the staid Mr. Darcy had such an engaging sense of humour, and that he was flirting with her.
Whatever did he mean to achieve by such behaviour?
For she could not yet consider that after being refused once he still had any preference for her.
“Miss Bennet, I apologise if I have made you uncomfortable. You may ask me to cease my nonsense any moment.”
“You are the last person I would have considered given to such nonsense, as you put it. I am just confused as to your purpose.”
“All I wish is to become a man worthy of you—but what I am asking of you is a friendship and a chance to understand each other better.”
“I am surprised you would consider such a thing after my behaviour in Kent.”
“We were both to blame. If you misjudged certain aspects of my character, then it was completely my fault.”
“I think I would enjoy being your friend,” Elizabeth answered softly, much to Darcy’s delight. But before he could speak any further, his aunt came walking towards them, waving her hands vigorously, ending their private tête-à-tête.
“Darcy, I require some tea and sensible company so I request that you go back to that cottage of yours while Miss Bennet accompanies me inside,” Mrs. Ashcombe said as soon as she had reached them.
Darcy sighed and closed his eyes, thinking of all the times he had criticised Mrs. Bennet’s behaviour.
He would gladly exchange his aunt with Elizabeth’s mother at this moment, that lady would never have interrupted his private conversation with her daughter.
It seemed his aunt was bent on making him regret every ungenerous thought he had ever had about the Bennet family’s behaviour.
As he took his leave of the ladies and turned to walk away, Miss Bennet called out, “I plan to make tenant visits tomorrow, sir. Maybe I will stop by your drainage.”
A smile spread across Darcy’s face. ‘An assignation! The very notion was utterly surreal.’ He had never arranged anything of the sort with any woman even in his Cambridge days. That Elizabeth had initiated such an encounter made it sweeter still.