Chapter 29
“Elizabeth, look at me,” Mr. Darcy pleaded softly.
Elizabeth turned as asked, and with a serene smile and misty eyes, said, “And I fervently wish to care.”
Mr. Darcy’s face broke into a heart-stopping smile, and he whipped the horses to a gallop.
“Oh!” Elizabeth put both hands on Mr. Darcy’s elbow, which its owner pressed to bring her hands closer to his body.
Jane and the Colonel, who were riding ahead, stopped to watch the phaeton whoosh by.
“I think your sister and my cousin have made a discovery about each other,” quipped the Colonel.
“I am happy for them, judging from their jubilant smiles. But this is an impossible situation, at least for now.”
“You know your sister’s mind, then?”
“Yes. And you know your cousin’s?”
“Yes, to the degree that I repeatedly suffer through his recitations of the Bard’s sonnets.”
Jane smiled and said, “That sounds romantic.”
“For my cousin, who is stoic to the point of extreme austerity, that is indeed saying a great deal. I believe only your sister has the power to make him so dramatic.”
As the phaeton slowed down near the parsonage, Mr. Darcy was apologetic again. “Did I scare you, m’lady?”
“Whatever happened to ‘Elizabeth?’” Elizabeth asked, then turned around to look at the person standing on the footboard and saw Mr. Darcy’s valet, Curtis, who winked at her.
Elizabeth turned back and said, “Curtis is Jenny’s friend. I trust him. You may call me Elizabeth. And you did not scare me, far from it.”
Mr. Darcy smiled broadly again. He instantly grasped the double meaning of what Elizabeth had just said.
This woman, and this woman alone, had the power to plunge him into the most abject misery to forget himself to fall asleep in company; and then, in the next instant, to raise him up to the purest, most exultant elation that caused him to race the phaeton like a schoolboy.
He could scarcely believe his good fortune to have won the affection of a woman who was truly his superior in every measure, even after all the misguided steps he had taken.
They stopped in front of the parsonage. When he handed Elizabeth out of the vehicle, he said, “Till tomorrow.”
Elizabeth looked puzzled for a moment but understood the implication of these parting words. She nodded and turned toward the door of the parsonage, where Charlotte and Jane were waiting.
The reunion of the three friends was joyous. Charlotte made an exaggeratedly deep curtsy to the sisters, who returned the honor in exactly the same way.
“Do you not know? You are cousin to a duke! You deserve the deepest respect from everybody. Does Mr. Collins not remind you of your exalted position hourly?” said Elizabeth in jest, not expecting Charlotte to look embarrassed.
Surprised, Elizabeth asked, “Oh, it is true, then? He says that? Hourly? Does he say it in his sleep too?”
This time, Charlotte did laugh.
The friends talked about how the ducal inheritance came about, and the goings-on in their new lives—Charlotte’s parish life and the Bennet sisters being the toast of high society.
Jane said, “I long for the tranquility of our life at Longbourn. Just seeing you again makes me feel grounded and at ease.”
“I simply ignore the hubbub surrounding us whenever we are out in public, and we avoid the fashionable crowd like the plague. I would choose a long walk to the summit of Oakham Mount over a stroll along Rotten Row every time. Fortunately for us, papa moved us back to the country at the first opportunity,” said Elizabeth.
“Oh, I have heard much about your new homes in town and Oxfordshire. My father said Northampton House was grander than St. James’s, and Maria’s letters are full of exclamations about the magnificence of the turrets, the moat, and the grand furnishings.
You will have a hard time getting her to leave Kennington Castle. ”
“Without Lydia there, Kitty would be happy to have Maria grow old with her. She has also invited Miss Darcy, who could benefit from the liveliness of our sisters, who, in turn, could learn from her the proper manners of a young lady. Observing a peer could be far more effective than all of Mrs. Trimmer’s instructions. ”
“Speaking of Lydia, how is she doing in school? It must be difficult for her to endure seminary life when her sisters enjoy the unimaginably rich social life of a duke’s daughters.”
“Actually, Charlotte, Lydia is the one who embraces her new status too exuberantly. Living with girls her age who were born into the first circles may teach her proper decorum. There must be a reason so many girls of noble birth are sent there, and why Mrs. Trimmer recommended it. Lydia comes home from school only for the Sabbath. Now that we are in the country, she rarely comes home, or if papa is in town, she goes to the townhouse. She is boasting less frequently of being the first among us to marry—and to a duke, no less. When mamma is around, she behaves herself because mamma no longer tolerates Lydia’s brashness, which is an excellent result of our elevation. ”
“Maria mentioned that in her letter as well. Apparently, Lydia has been talking in her letters to Kitty about marrying the Duke of Devonshire, and bids her not to tell your parents about it. I meant to tell you to keep watch over Lydia. I have a bad feeling about her trying to hide a romance with a duke.”
“Devonshire is not married, is he?” asked Elizabeth apprehensively. Hiding a romance was, for her, a new, thrilling, but somewhat dangerous experience. Talking about the subject hit a little too close to home.
“Well, I am not up to date on the marriages in your circle, and society columns are not allowed in this house. But if Lydia is boasting about someday marrying him, he must not be already married. These days, though, with the thoroughly dissipated Prince Regent and the other equally debauched Royal Princes as examples, one simply cannot tell. Oh! Do forgive me for the unflattering things I said about your distant cousins.”
“They are your distant cousins now, too. You must never forget your lofty connections, or Mr. Collins will be seriously displeased,” Elizabeth teased, and the three friends laughed heartily again.
“I shall never get used to being related to all the nobility in the kingdom. Cousins or not, they were strangers to me before, and they remain so now. However, I do believe Lydia will mature into a poised young lady with proper schooling,” said the ever-kind-hearted Jane.
While they were drinking tea, Mr. Collins rushed in, waving a note.
“Mrs. Collins, go pack a trunk and have it taken to Rosings! Mr. Darcy has invited us to stay at the manor while our cousins visit. He requests that you act as hostess! What an incredible honor!”
Mr. Collins breathlessly finished exclaiming his message before he noticed his cousins, at which point he made so deep a bow that he almost lost his balance.
“Lady Jane, Lady Elizabeth, I beg your forgiveness for not greeting you sooner. Welcome to my humble home. This, of course, is nothing compared to Rosings. I am honored and eternally gratified beyond words that Mr. Darcy condescended to allow my request for Rosings to be the accommodations for your ladyships’ visit. ”
Elizabeth had been prepared to endure at least half an hour of the parson’s eloquence but was pleasantly surprised to find his former verbosity and ridiculous obsequiousness curtailed. She glanced at Charlotte, who shrugged.
Jane answered on behalf of both sisters. “Thank you for your kind regards, Mr. Collins. Although Rosings is very fine, we would have been happy to stay in your comfortable house.”
Mr. Collins was so pleased he forgot for a moment that their party needed to make haste to return to Rosings.
“M’ladies, you are exceedingly generous with your praise. But your presence here has made this house ten times more dignified. Your dear friend, my precious wife, has turned this dwelling into a cherished home.”
Then he turned to his wife and said urgently, “Make haste, Mrs. Collins. We must not delay our arrival at Rosings. You are to be hostess at dinner!”
Unbeknownst to them, the reason Mrs. Collins was needed at Rosings was that Lady Catherine had been escorted back to the dower house by the master’s order.
◆◆◆
When Mr. Darcy returned to the manor house, he confronted his aunt about the urgency of the summons and was left in no doubt that she alone had called him away from his guests.
The tyrannical former mistress had threatened a footman with his dismissal if he did not give her the details about the outing of the lady visitors.
On hearing that her son-in-law had driven off in the phaeton with the unmarried Lady Elizabeth, she immediately sent a note asking Darcy to return to the house.
Once Lady Catherine was removed from the manor house, the entire staff was instructed to ignore any demands from Lady Catherine for information about the master.
Not a single servant had any inclination to disobey him, for he had been far kinder than their former mistress and had given everyone a raise to match the compensation of the staff at his own estate, Pemberley.
The Rosings retainers’ loyalty was assured.
Dinner was quite congenial. Mr. Darcy appeared exceptionally light-hearted, wearing a smile on his face throughout dinner.
Lady Elizabeth seemed unusually shy and stole glances at him when she thought no one was looking.
Mrs. Collins, however, noticed. She would need to keep an eye on Elizabeth.
Even though the master was honorable, he was still married.
After dinner, at the request of the Colonel, Elizabeth sang for the party.
Uncharacteristically, she stumbled several times since she was self-conscious of her performance, remembering Miss Darcy’s comments about her brother praising Elizabeth’s exceptional musicality.
Meanwhile, Mr. Darcy left his seat and walked close to the pianoforte to have a direct view of the fair performer’s face, the dreamy smile never leaving his face.
Elizabeth, feeling intimidated, straightened her back and smiled challengingly at the gentleman.
“Sir, you have come so close to hear my poor playing with too many mistakes to count, and these are but simple country folk songs! I dare you to proclaim that I performed well just now.”
‘M’lady, one’s enjoyment of the music and the number of mistakes the performer makes may not correlate. If the songs are infused with sentiments that resonate with the listeners, be it joy, hope, or even sadness, then yes, I dare to proclaim that your performance was exquisite.”
“You have made me blush, sir! I cannot accept such undeserved praise!”
“Madam, I believe you have no choice but to accept, since my feelings are true and honorable.”
Then Elizabeth played a song that practically declared her feelings for the gentleman.
I attempt from love’s sickness to fly in vain,
Since I am myself my own fever, since I am myself my own fever and pain.
No more now, no more now, fond heart, with pride no more swell;
Thou canst not raise forces, thou canst not raise forces, enough to rebel.
For love has more power and less mercy than fate;
To make us seek ruin, to make us seek ruin, and love those that wait.
Mr. Darcy listened intently to the lyrics, which were from a poem by John Dryden, appointed the first poet laureate of the kingdom by Elizabeth’s forefather, Charles II.
Elizabeth’s light and lyrical voice, untrained but filled with honest emotion, left no doubt in his mind that their love could be painful to endure, but it was inevitable, and they were powerless to fight it.
The original poem ended with the word ‘hate’ to describe a painful unrequited love, but his clever Elizabeth changed it to ‘wait’ to reflect their separation was not because of a hateful, unreciprocated love, but one requiring patience for an unknown duration.
Mr. Darcy marveled at the similar sentiments expressed in the Bard’s sonnet that he recited when the Colonel asked him whether he was hopeful about his future with Elizabeth—he would not change places with anyone, even kings, for the privilege of suffering from this love’s sickness.
When the song was over, everyone applauded, but the couple at the pianoforte were oblivious to the existence of anyone else.
The Colonel leaned over and whispered to Jane, “Were they like this before this visit?”
Jane said, “Yes, even in Hertfordshire. In those days, they mostly argued. They were so clearly locked in their own world that people around them did not dare intrude.”
“Well, I am happy to see Darcy looking so… besotted, almost as if he had forgotten his troubles, which have been a heavy weight constantly pressing on him. For the moment, he can breathe freely.”
“I had not been aware of Mr. Darcy’s feelings for Elizabeth, and neither had Elizabeth. They must have had time to talk during the phaeton drive this morning.”
“Must have been just before Darcy drove like a schoolboy with a newly-won trophy. He could not contain his jubilation.”
Meanwhile, Charlotte dared to intrude. Being the designated hostess, she could not allow Eliza and Mr. Darcy to become a spectacle.
She walked to the instrument and said, “Eliza, that was a wonderful performance. You must agree, Mr. Darcy. You enjoyed Eliza’s songs when she played at my father’s house.
” Before Mr. Darcy could answer, she pushed on.
“But it is time for cards. We have enough people to form a table.”
That night, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth lay in their separate chambers and thought about the day that had changed their lives. They both arrived at the same conclusion:
Tomorrow cannot come soon enough!