Chapter 30 #2
Although he was aware it was irrational, Darcy was envious of Gigi being hosted at Longbourn.
Of course, he did not begrudge his sister time with the Bennets, but how he wished he was the last one Elizabeth would see before Morpheus claimed her and the first one she would see in the morning when she opened her magnificent eyes.
Darcy knew that would happen once they were married, but how he wished they already were.
He rang for Carstens and his valet assisted Darcy to dress for a ride.
Thanks to his ever-efficient valet sending word to the stables, when Darcy strode out of the front doors, his greatcoat billowing behind him, to his delight, Zeus was saddled and being held by a groom in the drive at the base of the stairs.
Ignoring the stirrups, Darcy vaulted onto his horse’s back. His aim was to enjoy a punishing ride which would drive any improper thoughts of Elizabeth from his mind, if only for a short while.
By the time Darcy reached the paddock attached to the stables, he already had Zeus at a fast canter.
A groom had the gate open and would have run to the far gate to open it as well, except Darcy shook his head.
He dug his heels into his stallion’s flanks and slapped the reins on his neck.
The big black horse reacted instantaneously.
Within seconds, he was at a full gallop.
As they neared the closed gate, he made sure Zeus could see it clearly.
When the horse judged it was time, he jumped.
Darcy leaned forward and released the reins by sliding his hands down his stallion’s neck allowing him to stretch his neck and back.
As he had many times before, Zeus cleared the fence with ease and was soon galloping across an open field. As if without his direction, Darcy’s mount sailed over the fence which marked the border between Netherfield Park and the greatly expanded Longbourn.
On the way home the night before, Hurst informed them that due to the end of the entail, Bennet had officially annexed the additional land he had purchased from the former master of Netherfield Park. With this land part of Bennet’s estate, it was now, by far, the largest one in the neighbourhood.
About a mile from Oakham Mount, Darcy slowed Zeus to a slow canter to allow him to cool down some. By the time he arrived at the base of the hill, he had his horse at a walk.
As soon as he saw Phoebe being attended by a Longbourn groom, Darcy lifted his eyes to the heavens in thanks that his prayer was answered.
As in the past, when he struck up the path, the footman followed.
He smiled as he remembered that first time he had discovered Elizabeth on the summit.
It was almost the same date in October of that year.
This day was colder, the vapour visible each time he breathed out when his warm breath came into contact with the cold air.
When he was younger, he likened it to smoke he had seen his father, uncle Reggie, and some of the other men blow out when smoking cigars.
As he aged and learnt his lessons, Darcy had come to realise it was not smoke.
As he crested the summit, he held his breath. There she was: the beauty who Darcy hoped to marry. She was sitting on the same rock she always sat on, facing east to watch the sunrise and from what he was able to discern, she was eating something.
Elizabeth was enjoying a warm muffin Cook had wrapped in a cloth for her when she had traversed the kitchen on her way to the stables earlier that morning.
The wind was blowing from behind her so she recognised William’s scent—sandalwood and spice—before she heard or saw him.
She placed the remainder of the muffin on the cloth which she had opened across her legs and breathed his scent in deeply.
Only when she heard the crunch of his boot on something did she turn around.
“Good morning, Elizabeth, are you enjoying the morning?” Darcy asked.
“And a good day to you, William. I was not sure anyone else would be up so early today after the late night thanks to the assembly. I was sneaking some solitude while none but Papa, who is in his study, was up,” Elizabeth replied.
“If I am interrupting your solitude, I beg your pardon.” Darcy bowed. He was prepared to leave; her response had disappointed him.
“You certainly are,” Elizabeth replied, her emerald-green eyes shining with amusement, “but it does not follow that the interruption must be unwelcome.”
“I should be sorry indeed if it were,” Darcy responded. “We have been good friends for some time, and now even more than that, thanks to our courtship.”
“True. Are any others at Netherfield Park up and about yet?”
“I saw no one, not even Hurst, and he is usually up at, or before, the time I rise from my slumber.” Darcy paused and grinned. “He is not getting younger, and he did dance practically every set at the assembly.”
“As did you. Except for the two you very gallantly sat out and kept me company. If one was not aware you were partnering me while I sat out for those sets, they may have assumed you were not tolerable enough to dance with and were being slighted by some of the young ladies at the assembly who refused to give you consequence.” Elizabeth giggled at her witticism and rested her head on William shoulder.
He grinned at her ridiculous statement. “Do not stop eating your snack because I arrived.” Darcy pointed at the partially eaten muffin in the cloth on her lap.
Elizabeth blushed but picked up the two-thirds of the item remaining. She broke it into two pieces and offered the larger one to William. When it looked like he was about to demur, she insisted he take it. “I will be well with the piece I have remaining,” she assured him.
“Very well, thank you, Elizabeth.” Darcy popped the piece of muffin into his mouth. After chewing it, he admitted that it was very tasty.
“I will tell Cook; she will be overjoyed at your compliment.” Elizabeth smiled as she broke off small bite-sized pieces, which she fed herself slowly. As she sat next to William, drinking in his comforting presence, Elizabeth knew she was closer than ever to tumbling over the precipice of love.
For the rest of the time, they sat in companionable silence, each enjoying the presence of the other. Once the sun rose, even if it did not warm the air too much, it was time to leave.
Darcy stood and helped Elizabeth up. Thereafter, they began the walk down to where their horses were being held.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
A few days later, while the Hursts, Darcy, and Bingley were calling, Bennet entered the drawing room with a grin on his face. “I have just read the most drivel-laced, ridiculous letter ever. I am sure you will all be diverted. Hence, I will read it to you.”
“We will take our leave if this is business for only your family,” Hurst volunteered. Darcy and Bingley nodded their agreement.
“Your advice will be welcome, so please remain with us,” Bennet requested. “It arrived this morning and it took more than one reading to realise it was written by a man with less sense in his whole being than most of us have in a single finger.”
“Surely it is not so very bad,” Mary stated.
“You may tell me I was wrong after I read it to you,” Bennet challenged. He sat in an armchair and slid his spectacles down from his forehead to his nose. He cleared his throat and began to read.
3 October 1811
Mr Bassenstoke’s Boarding House
42 Cherry Street
Westerham
Kent
Dear Sir,
The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance.
This was made more difficult considering how the Collins line has been denied the estate, which should have been the property of my great-great-grandfather.
My mind, however, is now made up on the subject, as my profession teaches that with our elevated status, clergymen like me should bring peace to families wherever possible.
I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures are highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next in line in the entail of the Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side and not lead you to reject the offered olive branch.
I received ordination some months before Easter of 1810.
Unfortunately, since then, I have not been so fortunate as to be distinguished with a living of my own, and I now serve as a curate at the Church of St Mary in Westerham.
As such, I am ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England.
I was denied a living I was meant to be awarded in the Hunsford parish in this county.
But rather than enumerate the faults of those who denied me, especially after the Bishop adjured me from seeking redress from them, I will only say it was very insulting, as he made me study church law again.
Enough on that subject. I am sure that those who have wronged me will get their reward when it is time.
As a clergyman, moreover, I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends, but of this hereafter.
If you should have no objection to receiving me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family on Tuesday, the 29th day of October of this year, by four o’clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday sennight following, which I can do without any inconvenience.
Mr Kimble, the vicar of St Mary’s, is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that he or the other curate (junior to me) is available to do the duty of the day.
I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,
William Collins
The reading was met with stunned silence.
“Papa, surely this is a jest. No man can be so insensible. To speak as he does and to invite himself here? He knows you have a son even if he had not been sent the notice of the breaking of the entail yet. How could he pen this insanity?” Elizabeth wondered as soon as she recovered her power of speech.
“Based on what I know of his late father, I would say that this is not a joke. He sounds like the man Anne and Ashby told us invited himself to apply for the Hunsford living. Just like he is inviting himself here,” Bennet responded.
“My cousins in Kent are more than satisfied with the man they selected, a Mr Charles Hayter,” Darcy reported.
“I remember that the former parson, Mr Martin, spoke to St Mary’s rector about his curate.
It seems that the additional education did not make the man any better than he was when he inserted himself into the process of replacing Hunsford’s parson. ”
“I will write to him with a copy of the notice from the Court of Chancery. If he is too imbecilic to accept that, I may have to allow him to come to disabuse him in person. However, he will not pass one night under my roof,” Bennet revealed.
‘I need to have this man watched. He may be as idiotic as we all think, but he could be dangerous,’ Hurst decided silently.