Part 3 #2
“Excellent,” he said without minding his words.
No matter, he had almost run out of ideas to keep the conversation going, to find things to say to her to keep her talking to him.
She let out a little laugh which melted his heart.
She was truly there, inches away from him, and he wished for nothing more than to keep her there as long as possible.
She would only be at Pemberley for a little while, but she had already softened his heart. He could not bear to lose her so soon.
“Miss Bennet, I was wondering…would you be so kind as to introduce me to your companions?”
His request seemed to confuse and shock her; she stared at him, a little disbelieving frown appearing between her eyebrows.
“Yes, of course. They are up there, with Mrs Reynolds.”
“Yes, I noticed. We should join them.”
They walked together, and her nearness made him dizzy.
“May I ask, how do you like Pemberley?” he enquired after some minutes of silence.
“How do I like it? It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I am sure everyone who has the privilege of visiting it shares the same opinion.”
“Perhaps, but I would very much wish to hear yours. I am glad you like Pemberley. I dare say the more you discover of it, the more you will like it.” As soon as he made that statement, he knew he had said too much. She seemed embarrassed and remained silent until they reached her friends.
Mrs Reynolds welcomed him joyfully, then stepped away while Elizabeth performed the introductions. At first glance, the couple in front of him appeared to be a fashionable pair of thirty to forty years of age.
“Mr Darcy, please allow me to introduce my uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs Gardiner. Mr Gardiner is my mother’s brother. They live in London, on Gracechurch Street. My sister Jane stayed with them when she was lately in London.”
Mr and Mrs Gardiner? The names spun in Darcy’s mind.
“I am travelling with my uncle and aunt”.
Of course! He slapped himself mentally. She had just said as much, but he had been too stunned by their sudden encounter to register the information.
Elizabeth’s voice had an edge to it as she spoke, and he knew she remembered his criticism of her poor connections as clearly as he did.
A few minutes of conversation were enough for Darcy to realise Mr Gardiner was nothing like his sister Mrs Bennet. Seemingly an educated man, with proper and amiable manners, he appeared very well suited to his elegant and handsome wife.
Mr Gardiner expressed his passion for fishing, and Darcy immediately seized the opportunity, inviting him to fish during his stay in Lambton. He glanced at Elizabeth to see how she felt about his invitation, but she did not look at him; she seemed flustered, restrained, and silent.
In a desperate attempt to keep Elizabeth close to him longer, Darcy invited them to partake of some refreshments inside, but the invitation was politely declined as they already had plans for the afternoon.
There was nothing left for him to do but accompany them to their carriage, his heart constricted at the fear of losing her again.
Losing? He had never had her! She had simply happened to visit Pemberley on the day he returned; it was nothing but mere coincidence.
Her unexpected appearance felt like a palliation for his previous grief, but she would be gone soon, and he cherished every remaining moment with her.
“Miss Bennet,” he asked when they were close to the carriage. “The rest of my party arrive tomorrow. Among them, my sister, who… If I do not ask too much… I wondered…”
“Yes?”
“Would you do me the favour of allowing me to introduce Georgiana to you?” he enquired with some anxiety, and she looked shocked again.
“Of course, Mr Darcy. It would be an honour and a pleasure.”
“Thank you…the rest of the party you are already acquainted with,” he continued, and she wrinkled her nose, an expression of puzzlement returning to her face.
“Mr Bingley and his sisters,” he explained.
“Oh…” she said. No more words were needed to describe her feelings.
“As I said, I should be delighted to make the acquaintance of Miss Darcy,” she repeated. “And see Mr Bingley again.”
“I hope you will have the opportunity very soon. I know they would be delighted to see you too, Miss Bennet.”
They had arrived at the carriage, and Mr Gardiner had already handed Mrs Gardiner into the vehicle; her uncle looked back at Elizabeth for a few moments before climbing inside himself.
Darcy was facing Elizabeth, just a few inches away.
The corners of her lips lifted, timidly at first, then a bright grin spread up her cheeks and to her eyes, a warm smile such as she had never offered him before.
Moved, nervous, distracted, he offered her his hand to help her into the carriage. She took it and stepped up, their fingers remaining entwined for a moment, then brushing against each other as they separated.
They said their goodbyes and the carriage began to move, but Darcy remained frozen on that very spot, staring after it.
His heart raced, his entire body was a mix of thrills and heat, and his feet were heavy but his knees weak.
The carriage had reached the bend, when Elizabeth suddenly turned and looked back at him.
Only when the vehicle was lost from sight did he walk back to the house, his hand still warm, feeling the loss and remembering the touch of hers.
Darcy’s first night back at Pemberley turned into a tumult of feelings he did not dare acknowledge.
He placed the card in his drawer but did not lock it yet, nor did he write anything on it.
There were two blank flaps on the card, waiting to be filled, but he did not know what word should be placed there. Not yet.
Elizabeth’s presence at Pemberley, though utterly different from his dreams, was a dream in itself.
She had come to visit his estate believing he was not at home, and he had arrived precisely at that very moment.
A day later—nay, an hour later—he would have lost her.
Again. He had arrived at the perfect time to greet her on Pemberley’s lawn.
Was it fate that had granted him another chance?
Or was it just a mere coincidence that could change his life once more?
Elizabeth had said or done nothing to encourage his hopes; but none of her words or gestures had been meant to discourage him either.
Their meeting had surprised and embarrassed her as much as him.
She had apologised repeatedly and looked surprised by his request to be introduced to her relatives.
Why would she not, when he had been so eloquent in pointing out the deficiencies of her entire family?
He had asked permission to introduce Georgiana to her, and Elizabeth had seemed genuinely delighted—though surprised once again.
Every amiable gesture on his part apparently surprised her.
And how could he blame her? Four months on, the recollection of his proposal was painful and mortifying not just because of her refusal but more so because of the manner in which he had addressed it.
Elizabeth was certainly not accustomed to his amiability, for he had shown none; but he hoped, once he had proved to her he had changed, her opinion of him would begin to improve.
He dined alone, thinking of Elizabeth, barely fighting the temptation to pay a sudden visit to the inn but just managing to keep that unreasonable desire under control. He would wait till the next day, when Georgiana arrived, giving him the pretext for a proper call.
The day after that, Mr Gardiner would come to Pemberley to join him and Bingley for a spot of fishing, which would provide him with maybe another opportunity to see Elizabeth, to talk to her, or at least to speak to her uncle about her.
She said they would stay in Lambton for a few more days, so what if he invited them to dinner? The more he thought of it, the more partial to that idea he became. He would invite them, but would Elizabeth accept?
From their reception of him, he assumed the Gardiners must be unaware of his past dealings with Elizabeth.
There were so many uncertainties that he had to be exceedingly careful and allow his impatience to be guided by wisdom.
The only certainty, beyond any doubt, was the ardent love that had entrapped his heart months ago and still held it tightly.
At the earliest possible hour, Darcy went for a ride around Pemberley Park, then returned and spent some time in discussion with Mrs Reynolds. He felt restless, anxious, until finally he spotted a carriage descending the hill.
“Dear brother, I am so happy to be home,” Georgiana said, while Miss Bingley and the Hursts complained about travelling for so many days in the hot summer weather.
“The pleasure of being at Pemberley is worth every effort, though,” Miss Bingley said, evidently fearing her complaints could be misinterpreted. “There is no other place I would rather be than here.”
“I am glad to hear that,” Darcy answered rather abruptly.
“You are all welcome at Pemberley. I am sure you wish to change and rest after your journey. Your personal servants are expecting you. You will be accommodated in your usual rooms. Now please excuse me, I would like to speak to my sister for a moment.”
He pulled Georgiana aside, while Mrs Reynolds spoke to the other guests.
“My dear, would you do me a favour?” he enquired.
“Of course. Is there something wrong?”
“No, quite the opposite. If you are not too fatigued after your travels, I would like you to come with me to the inn at Lambton. There is someone I would like to introduce you to.”
“Certainly, if you wish me to. May I ask who it is?”
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Hertfordshire and her relatives. I am not sure whether you remember. I might have mentioned her a few times. They are visiting Derbyshire and staying at the inn for a few days.”