Chapter 17
HALF AGONY, HALF HOPE
The prospect of Mr. Darcy standing there, bestowing his undivided attention on another filled Elizabeth with unrest. She lowered her voice and leaned closer to her friend.
“Who is that striking young woman in Mr. Darcy’s company?
” Indeed, Mr. Darcy’s companion was tall, and her appearance was womanly and graceful. She had Elizabeth seeing green.
Lucy turned to command a better view of the couple. “I have no idea of who she might be. While it is true this is my first Season, this is the first I have ever seen her. She is lovely.”
“Indeed, she is. Is there any wonder that he hangs upon that woman’s every word?”
Still studying the couple, Lucy tapped her fingers against her chin. “However, she is rather young for a gentleman of his discerning taste, do you not agree?”
Elizabeth’s mind wandered to her own sister.
The disparity in Lydia and Mr. Wickham’s age did not serve as a deterrent to the lieutenant.
She shook her head to ward off her musings.
Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy are leagues apart.
Still, she could not help being concerned.
Regardless of her age, the young woman is completely enamoured of Mr. Darcy.
“Elizabeth, what are we waiting for? Let us go over and ascertain who she is.”
“Heaven forbid, Lucy! I shall do no such thing.”
“Then I shall go. Wait here. I shall report back as soon as I know the particulars.”
Before Elizabeth could stop her friend, Lucy had set off in Mr. Darcy’s direction.
Deciding to spare herself the pain of knowing more about Mr. Darcy’s companion, Elizabeth hurried off in the opposite direction.
She needed time alone to think—to dwell on those matters that must surely increase her current sufferings.
She wandered about in the garden until she came across a place to sit.
Elizabeth buried her face in her hands. Why did I come?
Despite what Mr. Darcy did for Lydia, I believe the confluence of wretched occurrences when last we were together was too much for a relationship as tenuous as ours to endure.
There was no mistaking in her mind that whoever the young woman was, she was important to him. In all the time she had occasion to observe him in company, she had never seen him regard anyone with so much affection. Elizabeth’s heart sank. Is he lost to me?
Elizabeth covered her face with both hands.
Here I go again, rushing to conclusions.
Better I walk right up to Mr. Darcy and make my presence known.
Pray that companion of his has found another means of diversion by now.
Elizabeth’s spirits rallied. She stood straight and tall.
I have travelled this far so that I might determine the present workings of Mr. Darcy’s heart. I shall not turn back now.
Lord Holland passed by Darcy on the steps leading to the balcony. He nodded. “Where is Miss Bennet?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Miss Bennet. I had expected the two of you to have been inseparable once you learned of her presence.”
“The last I saw of Miss Bennet, we were in Hertfordshire. That was weeks ago. Do you mean to say she is now in London?”
“Not only is she in London, but she is here.”
How can that be? Surely Elizabeth would not be here, and I have been completely unaware of it. I wonder if she knows of my presence. If so, why has she not sought me out? Unless—
“Pardon me.” Darcy walked away from his friend with the speed of lightning. If she is here, then I must find her. He looked inside the house and out, and finally, he ventured into the garden.
Emerging from opposite sides of a towering rosebush, the two nearly collided into each other.
“Eliza—” He clasped his hands behind his back to keep himself from reaching out and touching her as was his wont in his dreams. “I had no indication you were in Town.”
Elizabeth was in the midst of rehearsing the speech she planned to make when she found him and thus failed to attend to those courtesies expected upon seeing him after so long a time. “Mr. Darcy! I am staying with my aunt and uncle in Cheapside. I came to the party as Lucy’s guest.”
“Ah, Miss Lancaster! I believe I saw her earlier.”
“She and I both saw you. I might add that you seemed quite enraptured with your companion.”
“You saw me, and you failed to make your presence known? Why did you not speak to me? I might have introduced you to my companion.”
“Do you suppose I am the sort of female who puts herself in the path of a gentleman in heated pursuit of another woman?”
“If you suppose that I was in heated pursuit of another woman, then surely you do not know me. In fact, I readily concede that there is much that we do not know about each other. What I do know is that you, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, are the most bewildering woman I have ever met. That you would continue to doubt my constancy is beyond comprehension.”
“What am I to think? You and I did not part under the most favourable circumstances, sir.”
“About that—there is a matter that I need to discuss with you. I fully intended to return to Hertfordshire, once my business in Town was completed.”
“If you are about to tell me what you did for my sister Lydia, I already know.”
“I might have known Mrs. Wickham was not to be trusted to keep such matters to herself.”
“I am glad she told me; otherwise, I would not have been able to thank you on behalf of my family.”
“If you will thank me,” he replied, “let it be for yourself alone. Much as I respect your family, I believe I thought only of you.”
Elizabeth was too much embarrassed to say a word. She simply smiled.
Their intimate discourse drew the attention of every passerby, who must surely have pondered the identity of Mr. Darcy’s companion. He reached for Elizabeth’s hand, placed it over his arm, and led her to a secluded spot inside an ivy covered gazebo.
“Mr. Darcy, what will people say should they discover the two of us tucked away here?”
“Let them say what they will. Have I not pledged thee my troth?” He retrieved a golden locket from his breast pocket. “I am yours. I always have been yours. You need only trust that.
“From the moment you bestowed this upon me, I felt myself to be as solemnly engaged to you as if the strictest legal covenant had bound us to each other.”
Elizabeth stepped closer and captured the locket in her hand.
A lock of her own hair was bound with gold thread and encased inside.
She read the inscription on the other side.
“A lasting love affair.” How sweet the sound.
She felt the colour spread over her body.
Even during the earliest days of their acquaintance, he was intent upon loving her.
Darcy said, “Do you remember our first kiss?”
Elizabeth said nothing.
“I shall always remember our first kiss, and I am rather certain the same goes for you. However, in case I am mistaken, in case you do not recall our first kiss as clearly as if it were this morning, I would like to remind you.” Darcy glided his fingers along her chin. “May I?”
The look in her eyes was all the encouragement he needed.
He claimed her lips. Her soft moan recalled him to their surroundings, and he ceased.
Still, he did not relinquish his touch upon her face.
He gazed into her eyes and smiled. “I knew I was in trouble the first time I laid eyes on you. Your manner of walk, the liveliness of your mind—I have never been as bewitched by any woman as I am by you. I adore you. I love you. Marry me, Elizabeth.”
“Marry you, Mr. Darcy?”
“Please. Be my wife, and come live with me at Pemberley.” In case she was prepared to be stubborn, Darcy lowered himself on bended knee.
“Mr. Darcy, what are you doing? Please return to your feet at once before someone happens upon us.”
“I intend to remain in this attitude until you say yes.”
“Yes, I will marry you. Does that make you happy?”
“Indeed, you have made me the happiest man in the world.”
Darcy stood. He moved his hands along either side of her long, slender neckline, leaned in, and kissed her upon her lips …
lightly at first and then slowly coaxed them apart.
Kissing the woman he loved like this took his breath away and filled his body with longing.
Wanting more than their situation afforded, he slowly ceased.
Pulling away, he smoothed his thumb over Elizabeth’s sweet puckered lips.
He captured her hand in his. “Come with me. I should like very much to introduce you to my companion.”
“There is no need to do that, sir. I am quite satisfied not knowing any of your other female admirers.”
“But you will want to meet this particular admirer, for she is to be your sister.”
“Mr. Darcy! How dare you allow me to go on as I did earlier?”
“Pray you will forgive me, but I have never seen you show signs of jealousy. I rather enjoyed the prospect.”
“Indeed, I was jealous ... and rather foolish. Can you forgive me?”
He brushed a kiss atop her knuckles. “Always, my love—always.”
Darcy and Elizabeth found his sister inside the house, sitting with an elderly woman, no doubt her companion, Mrs. Annesley.
The young lady did not look nearly as animated as she had earlier.
She sprang from her seat and headed her brother’s way when she espied him entering the room.
From her talks with Mr. Darcy about his younger sister, Elizabeth knew she was little more than sixteen.
Her figure was formed, giving Elizabeth the earlier impression of her being older.
Elizabeth considered this a sufficient excuse for not realising whom the young woman was earlier.
She was less handsome than her brother, but upon closer inspection, Elizabeth discerned the similarities in the siblings’ countenances.
“Georgiana, meet Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Bennet, this is my sister.”