Chapter 28 #2
Mr. Darcy was familiar with the grove. It was one of the very few places Lady Catherine had not ruined with artificial structures.
“The glen the Colonel mentioned is to the south of the house. Would you like to take the reins?” asked Mr. Darcy solicitously.
He had begun to relax since climbing into the phaeton for this second phaeton drive.
The lightness he felt was in sharp contrast to the heaviness enshrouding him for the few minutes he sat in this vehicle with his ‘wife.’
Elizabeth uttered, “Oh, I would like to try. I trust you will not let the horses run away from me.”
“Of course not,” answered Mr. Darcy, extraordinarily pleased by her faith in him.
From time to time, he had to reach over to pull on the reins, as Elizabeth did not have proper gloves for driving. If their hands occasionally touching created any excitable feelings in them, neither showed any noticeable reaction.
Both were relieved when they arrived at their destination in less than half an hour.
The glen was rather large and surrounded by trees on all sides, and a gurgling brook ran through it.
By the brook was a sumptuous folly resembling a Greek temple.
Footmen were busy setting up their picnic lunch inside the folly.
After a delightful meal of cold meat, cheese, bread, fruit, sweet cakes, and wine, the party moved to the blankets by the stream.
The early spring sunshine felt especially luxurious after the long, gloomy winter.
One could not help being happy spending a glorious day like this among congenial friends.
Mr. Darcy, for the first time in his life, lay down on a blanket among mixed company. Very soon, deep, even breathing emanated from the always proper master of Pemberley and Rosings.
The Colonel pointed to the spectacle and whispered conspiratorially to both ladies, “Darcy has never before done this. He must be either extraordinarily fatigued or extraordinarily relaxed—and that last for a good reason: there are no spies out here among Darcy’s trusted retainers, I will soon keep Rosings’s affairs in good order and, best of all, he no longer needs to guard himself from unattached young ladies now that he is a married man. ”
Both Elizabeth and Jane were puzzled by this pronouncement. “Colonel, are you giving up your army career to help your cousin?” asked Elizabeth.
“M’ladies, you are looking at the new master of Rosings, or soon to be master.
My cousin, being exceptionally generous or possibly temporarily out of his mind, has gifted Rosings to me.
We need to work out the details of course, as legal issues are bound to surface in cases like this.
People do not give away an estate like Rosings every day, especially when there could be objections from potential claimants.
You must excuse my disclosing such a delicate matter.
Being a cavalry officer, I am perhaps overly frank and straightforward, even in genteel company.
Being secretive is not my forte. I would not survive one day as an intelligence officer. ”
Elizabeth laughed. “Oh, Colonel, you need not worry that you have leaked a secret. Your father told my father about the nature of Mr. Darcy’s marriage. You have simply confirmed some details.”
“I am pleased to know I have not been ungentlemanly.” The Colonel looked meaningfully at Jane, which made Elizabeth think perhaps the Colonel wanted Jane to know he was not a penniless younger son of an earl.
“Well, do you ladies think my cousin heard my words and is aware that his virtuous nature is now known to two of the loveliest ladies of the kingdom, or is he truly in the arms of Morpheus?”
As if on cue, Mr. Darcy emitted a soft snore.
The ladies giggled, and the Colonel roared with laughter.
Mr. Darcy startled and sat up, looking a little confused.
Then he realized he had fallen asleep in the presence of ladies.
To say he was embarrassed would be an understatement. His cheeks were deeply flushed.
“M’ladies, forgive me for being so unthinkably rude. I have no excuse. The colonel can attest that I have never done such a thing before. He appears to have been entertaining you sufficiently, most likely at my expense. I beg you would overlook my indecorous behavior.”
“Don’t you worry, Darcy! Without your stern looks and propensity to spew befuddling Shakespearean sonnets, I was quite in my element.
Next time I shall bring some pillows for your comfort so I could have these lovely ladies to myself for longer!
” The ladies tried to hide their amusement so as not to embarrass their host when Mr. Darcy received a note and frowned.
“Excuse me.” Mr. Darcy stood up and walked a few paces away to confer with the footman who had handed him the note from Lady Catherine with only four words: ‘Your wife needs you.’
When he came back, he apologized for having had to return to the house.
Elizabeth conferred with Jane briefly before suggesting they should leave as well, as they would like to visit the Collinses.
The party left as they had come. Elizabeth was again in the phaeton with Mr. Darcy, and the Colonel and Jane rode.
“I hope nothing is amiss?” asked Elizabeth as they drove toward the parsonage.
“My cousin Anne’s health is precarious, and Lady Catherine has a predilection for ordering people about. I shall know soon which one it is.”
“I am sorry your wife’s health is such a burden to her... and you. The summons could have been just another of Lady Catherine’s whims. From Mr. Collins’s description of his former patroness, it is more likely the latter.”
“Thank you, M’lady.”
The drive went on with a weighty tension felt by the occupants of the phaeton, but neither could explain it.
Elizabeth, usually poised and composed, was fidgeting in her seat.
Without taking his eyes from the road, Mr. Darcy reached his hand out to touch her elbow to calm her.
He then did something bold: he pulled her hand and put it on his own elbow.
Elizabeth turned to look at the handsome profile of Mr. Darcy, who steadfastly fixed his eyes forward. As expected, looking at his noble mien made her heart race.
At length, Mr. Darcy spoke. “I heard what Richard said, at least some of it, even though I was not aware of being partially awake.” He finally turned toward Elizabeth, who, in her turn, stared ahead without withdrawing her hand from his arm.
“He was wrong about me being either generous or insane. Rosings is rightfully his. He would have married Anne to keep Rosings in the family, but he was away, unreachable because he was en route to the frontline on the Continent. Anne was not expected to live past the week... at that point. So, I stepped up partly as a family obligation, and partly for a selfish reason. M’lady, forgive me for overstepping and telling you personal matters for which you neither care nor wish to care. ”
“I care.”
Mr. Darcy’s whole posture stiffened. He turned slowly toward Elizabeth, who was still staring ahead while the horses trotted on.