Chapter 2
Elizabeth was almost as dazed to see Mr Darcy enter the modest sitting room on Monday as she had been to see him two days before, despite his familiarity with Miss Pratt and her circumstances.
She hardly knew where to look let alone what to say, and her whole body felt aflame with embarrassment when it was revealed that they had met in Hertfordshire and had encountered each other in Lambton.
Sunday had been quiet, and she, her aunt, and Miss Pratt had seen no one other than at church; she could have told them about seeing Mr Darcy, but she had not.
The excuse she gave herself was that she did not believe he or his relations would call, and she hated to raise Miss Pratt’s hopes.
The elderly lady was as dear a creature as Elizabeth had ever met, and she felt terrible for what the poor woman had suffered.
When her father was alive, she had social position and the support of his income.
Upon his death, his modest estate had passed to a nephew, who had refused to offer her any assistance, unconcerned that she was forced into a life of poverty.
It was too close to Elizabeth’s own situation for her to feel anything but pity for Miss Pratt and to seek to bring as much cheer to her life as possible, especially since she had recently lost her most intimate friend.
What it did not do was make Elizabeth regret rejecting Mr Collins, if that had been her mother’s hope in agreeing to allow her to join her aunt in Derbyshire. Her life would have been miserable as his wife. It was better to hope to find joy, even if that meant never having a family of her own.
Miss Pratt introduced Mr Darcy to Mrs Gardiner; Elizabeth watched apprehensively from the corner of her eye, anxious that he would be rude. But he was everything polite; not even she could deny that.
Turning to Miss Pratt, he said, “I must apologise for not coming sooner.”
Before he could say more, the lady waved her hand dismissively, and said, “Oh no, I understand, truly I do. You have far more pressing calls on your time, and ones that are much more amusing than visiting me. You are always far too kind as it is. The note you sent when Miss Cole died”—briefly, she covered her lips with her fingers, a look of distress crossing her wrinkled face—“no one could have done more than you, but we knew it was a hopeless case.”
Elizabeth was intrigued; her gaze darted between the gentleman and Miss Pratt. Miss Cole had suffered a long illness; had Mr Darcy offered his aid? How she longed to know what exactly Miss Pratt meant! Yet, she could hardly enquire.
Mr Darcy shook his head. “Miss Bennet mentioned that you were removing to London, and that you will live with Mrs Gardiner and her family.”
“They have insisted,” Miss Pratt said. “It is…I cannot describe how grateful I am. The connexion is not close, you know, but I have always thought of Madeline as more of a niece than a distant cousin. I know it is for the best. I shall miss Derbyshire, but it is rather thrilling. They have four young children! I shall like to be around them, and Miss Elizabeth’s home is not far away.
She has promised she will visit me.” She smiled fondly at Elizabeth before continuing.
“But whatever are you doing here, Mr Darcy? I had thought you and your darling sister were to stay with your relations for Christmas.”
“And so we were, but when we were in town, my uncle Darcy, his children, Georgiana, and I discovered a mutual longing to spend Christmas here. We have only just arrived.” As he asked his next question, he took in each of the ladies; Elizabeth thought his eyes might have lingered a little longer on her, which caused her blood to race.
“What are your arrangements for tomorrow?”
The answer, provided by Miss Pratt, was that they had no specific plans for Christmas Eve, though they would spend the twenty-fifth with neighbours who happened to have been good friends of Mrs Gardiner’s late uncle.
“Please say you will join us at Pemberley tomorrow,” Mr Darcy said. “It will be just my family. Not even Georgiana’s companion is with us. She has gone to visit her relations. You know everyone would like to see you. My sister and cousin Rebecca have expressed a desire to know Miss Bennet further.”
Startled, Elizabeth nearly gaped at him. Seeing her aunt’s expression—her eyebrows arched in silent question—Elizabeth did her best to mask her true sentiments, which, in truth, were a jumble, and smile politely.
“And we have not had a chance to speak,” Mr Darcy said to Mrs Gardiner, almost causing Elizabeth to exclaim in confusion. Surreptitiously, she pinched herself, wondering whether she was dreaming; the sharp pain told her she was not.
Mr Darcy continued, his attention still on her aunt.
“I understand you lived in Lambton for some years. We must know more people in common apart from Miss Pratt. Unfortunately, I really cannot stay longer today. My other uncle’s sons have sent word that they intend to join us, and we expect them to arrive this afternoon. ”
“Lord Romsley’s boys?” Miss Pratt asked.
When Mr Darcy nodded, she laughed in a lighter tone than Elizabeth had ever heard, and said, “They were such rascals as children. As were you.” She waggled a finger at Mr Darcy, who blushed.
“We shall not talk about the other one,” she went on, her tone disapproving.
“Such a disappointment to his father and yours! If they had lived long enough to know— Enough of that. It is better to think of the present, is it not? And, of course, the viscount and colonel are such fine young men.”
“They are,” Mr Darcy agreed. “But still quite capable of mischief. Will you come?” Again, he took in all three ladies, spending slightly longer regarding Elizabeth than her aunt. “I shall send my carriage for you.”
Arrangements were soon agreed upon. Neither Miss Pratt nor Mrs Gardiner sought her opinion.
If they had, she would have been tempted to say that she never wanted to see the gentleman again, despite how polite he had been during his brief call.
In Hertfordshire, his manner had been rude and prideful, and his behaviour to Mr Wickham cruel.
The last reflection caused a stabbing feeling in her stomach; Miss Pratt had mentioned ‘the other one’, evidently meaning a childhood companion of Mr Darcy’s, one who had been a disappointment.
Did she mean Mr Wickham? Was her view of him clouded by her dependence on Mr Darcy’s charity?
No sooner had the gentleman departed than Miss Pratt began to explain to Mrs Gardiner everything Mr Darcy had done for her over the years—the generous gifts of food and coal, paying for apothecaries and doctors to treat Miss Cole, always calling and inviting her to Pemberley, just as he had done today.
I shall have to determine whether there is more to the tale Mr Wickham shared. There had been truth in his looks, but… Doubt, slight for the moment, crept into Elizabeth.
Listening to her companions, she acknowledged that they were delighted with the prospect of going to Pemberley, Miss Pratt especially.
For their sakes, Elizabeth would set aside her dislike of the gentleman—for the day, at least. If he had always behaved as he had when they met in the town and today, would she have developed such an aversion to him?
It was a question without possible answer, and, as Miss Pratt had said, it was better to think of the present, not the past. Currently, Elizabeth could not deny she was curious to see the estate—and its master.
Darcy felt like a caged animal waiting for Elizabeth the next day.
His cousin Fitzwilliam teased him for fussing over the arrangements, and he knew it was with good reason—not that he would admit it aloud.
But he had asked his housekeeper too many questions about the dinner, insisted she be prepared to offer the ladies a hot beverage as soon as they arrived, and perhaps mentioned one or two other matters, all designed to ensure Elizabeth felt easy and welcomed.
Mrs Gardiner and Miss Pratt too. The only reason he did not tear his hair out in frustration at what seemed like a wait of months rather than hours was that the weather was perfectly clear, meaning there was no reason the ladies could not attend.
Was it wrong of him to be anxious to have Elizabeth in his home while telling himself she could not be the one for him?
He supposed it was, and he had no answer for what he hoped to accomplish by spending time with her.
It was just that he was compelled to do so; something vital inside him pushed him towards her.
This brief period in her company will be just what I need to put her behind me forever. I might always believe her to be the most charming, intriguing lady of my acquaintance, but I shall be able to…stop thinking of her with alarming frequency.
At last, the ladies were there. Darcy managed to stay where he was and wait for them to enter the drawing room despite his desire to go immediately to the vestibule.
As soon as they entered the room, his eyes were locked on her, and he was relieved to leave the greeting to his uncle; vaguely, he heard Frederick and Miss Pratt perform the necessary introductions.
All Darcy was required to do was bow, permitting him to study Elizabeth freely.
She was lovely—more so than she had ever been.
Why, he could not say. He was almost certain he had seen her gown before.
It was a delicate shade of green that suited her wonderfully.
Her gaze eagerly took in the room, her lips parted ever so slightly, and he wanted to ask whether she approved, engage her in conversation about the art and furniture—anything to turn her attention to him.